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Deer  Godchild 


DEER  GODCHILD 


BY 
MARGUERITE  BERNARD 

AND 

EDITH  SERRELL 


PUBLISHED  FOR  THE 
FATHERLESS  CHILDREN  OF  FRANCE 


NEW  YORK 

CHARLES  SCRIBNER'S  SONS 

1919 


COPYRIGHT  1918  BY 
MARIE  E.  DEMETRE 


dedicated 

to     our    friend 

Louise  Hurlbut  Mason 


INTRODUCTION 

A  young  New-Yorker  of  twelve  lately  heard  an 
appeal  for  the  Fatherless  Children  of  France,  and 
his  heart  was  touched.  He  had  no  money,  but  he 
resolved  to  give  his  spare  time  and  his  utmost 
energy  to  support  a  "kid  in  France."  The  French 
child  needed  ten  cents  worth  of  extra  food  each 
day,  In  order  to  grow  up  with  strength  and  cour- 
age. The  little  American  godfather  earned  those 
ten  cents;  he  sold  newspapers  at  the  subway 
entrance,  after  school  hours,  and  undertook  an 
amazing  variety  of  more  or  less  lucrative  odd 
jobs.  Sometimes  business  was  slow,  and  It  was 
hard  to  keep  up  the  game ;  but  he  did.  He  Is  still, 
In  the  true  American  expression  "making  good" 
for  his  deer  godchild,  and  doing  It  with  a  broad 
and  brotherly  grin.  He  Is  James  P.  Jackson  Jr.  His 
letters  to  and  from  the  kid  In  France  are  published 
just  for  fun — and  yet  In  the  hope  of  encouraging 
more  "dear  benefactors"  to  join  our  large  family 
and  help  along,  in  the  same  spirit  and  with  the 
same  joy. 

Edith  Serrell. 


Deer  Godchild 


DEER  GODCHILD 

Greenville  Falls, 
November  27,  19 16. 
Deer  miss  Secretary 

How  are  you?  It  is  al-rite  about  the  french 
orfan  and  I  wood  like  a  boy  between  ten  and 
twelve  if  it  is  the  same  to  you.  At  fust  dad  sed 
I  coodnt  have  him  because  there  was  plenty  of  rich 
godfathers  who  wood  take  him  if  I  didnt,  but 
mother  told  him  of  the  apeel  you  made  and  that  I 
was  goin  to  raze  the  money  myself,  and  he  sed 
well  I  guess  you  are  rite  and  if  he  can  raze  enuf 
money  to  raze  a  kid  on  he  is  well  come  to  It,  and 
she  sed  I  guess  that  is  the  rite  spirit.  And  so  I 
am  sending  you  85cts.  which  is  yocts.  fer  the  fust 
weak,  and  you  can  keep  the  change  which  is  I5cts, 
fer  the  next  weak,  so  I  will  only  send  55cts.  fer 
the  fust  weak  after  that.  The  85cts.  is  my  birth- 
day money  which  was  on  thanksgiving  day  and 
I  guess  the  folks  will  be  glad  to  give  me  work 
when  they  no  I  am  suporting  a  kid  in  france. 
9 


lo  DEER  GODCHILD 

Hoping  you  are  well  and  I  am  the  same  I  will 
close.     Yours  truly, 

James  Prendergast  Jackson  Jr. 

P.S.  I  shood  like  his  name  to  be  Bill  or  Pete  in 
french  and  not  one  of  those  girly  names  if  it  is 
the  same  to  you. 


To  Mr.  James  Prendergast  Jackson  Jr. 

Dear  Sir; 

According  to  your  instructions,  wc  have  as- 
signed to  you  Andre  Leblanc,  aged  ii,  No.  i8 
rue  d'Autancourt,  Paris,  as  your  godchild  for  one 
year.  Thanking  you  for  your  interest  in  thi> 
worthy  cause,  we  beg  to  remain 

Very  truly  yours, 

The  Junior  Committee  for  the  Fatherless 

Children  of  France. 


DEER  GODCHILD  ii 

Greenville  Falls.  N.  Y. 

Dec.  I  St,  19 1 6. 
Deer  godchild 

How  are  you?  I  am  very  well  and  I  have 
ganed  5  lbs.  in  one  weak  which  makes  me  85  lbs. 
which  is  thot  very  good  in  America.  Have  you 
had  much  snow?  We  have  had  it  considerable 
hear  which  has  spoylt  the  skating  on  Frost  Lake 
which  is  beehind  old  Sam  Bursars  house  who  is 
our  naybor.  I  am  glad  you  have  a  short  name, 
I  had  ruther  be  cald  Andre  than  Nickulus,  Cristuff 
or  Jean-Marie,  but  I  wood  ruther  you  were  cald 
Bill  or  Pete  or  Sniper,  but  you  cant  help  being 
what  they  call  you  so  never  mind.  I  suported  you 
this  weak  by  selling  70  copies  of  the  Greenville 
Mirror  by  hand.  It  is  a  good  paper  and  shood 
be  patronized.  I  wakt  into  Jim  Parkers  offis  he 
is  the  editur  and  sed,  Mister  Parker,  if  you  have 
a  loose  job  and  no  man  fer  it  I  am  the  man  you 
want,  and  he  sed  how  old  are  you?  and  I  sed  11. 
and  he  sed  what  you  want  a  job  fer?  and  I  sed, 
O  fer  a  kid  I  have  in  France  and  he  sed  since  I  was 
suportin  you  If  I  cood  sell  70  copies  of  the  Mirror 
he  wood  give  me  35  cts.  and  Mother  had  give  me 
1 5  fer  mindln  the  chlkens  when  she  went  to  Peeks- 


12  DEER  GODCHILD 

kill,  so  I  new  it  would  be  al-rite,  so  I  sed  very 
well  your  on.  So  I  took  the  mirrors  and  stood 
on  the  corner  of  School  street,  and  bimeby  the 
men  begin  to  come  home  from  the  city,  and  some 
of  them  stopt  to  buy  a  Mirror  and  some  did  not, 
so  I  thot  I  wood  make  an  appeel  so  I  hollered, 
Buy  a  Mirror  fer  a  kid  in  France,  and  waived  it 
in  there  faces,  and  you  shood  have  seen  them  buy! 
Enneway  I  guess  the  Mirror  is  a  good  ole  paper, 
when  all  the  men  had  come  home  I  thot  I  wood 
take  the  papers  to  the  folks  that  wernt  on  the 
street,  like  the  schoolmaams  and  the  sisters.  Well 
most  of  them  hot  fine  exept  miss  Leigh  the  Sunday 
school  teacher,  and  she  sed  the  Mirror  was  a  low 
down  politishuns  sheet  and  I  sed  buy  it  fer  Lily 
Blanche  her  help,  and  she  sed  what  are  you  so 
ankshus  to  sell  papers  fer?  And  I  sed  how  do  you 
expect  me  to  suport  a  kid  in  France  if  you  peeple 
wont  help  out?  and  she  sed  the  Lord  will  provide, 
but  I  told  her  I  wood  ruther  do  it  myself;  and  she 
said  I  guess  He's  doin  It  threw  you,  so  at  last 
she  forkt  up,  and  I  went  home  at  6  o'clock,  but 
I  tell  you  I  had  a  prety  tuf  day.  Say  how  is  your 
mussel?  Have  you  enny  brothers  and  sisters? 
I  have  five,  they  are  Amanda  aged  i6,  Cecilia 


DEER  GODCHILD  13 

aged  10,  Myra-Loulse  aged  7,  Molly  aged  6,  and 
Heloise  aged  5.  I  come  between  the  fust  too. 
Dad  wanted  to  call  Heloise  Omeega  after  Alfred 
and  Omeega  in  the  Bibel,  but  Mother  sed  that 
was  foolish  and  I  guess  it  was,  cause  there  was  no 
boy  to  be  Alfred  excep  me,  and  I  was  alredy 
James,  so  he  give  it  up.  Sid  Perkins  is  suportin 
a  girl  in  France  and  hes  auful  rich,  and  dont  have 
to  work  to  keep  her  goin.  Gee,  Im  glad  your  a 
boy,  girls  is  al-rite  in  there  line  but  I  woodnt  adop 
one  fer  love  or  money.  Can  you  here  the  shootin 
from  where  you  are?  I  have  seen  the  new  Ameri- 
can submareen  and  it  is  a  fine  bus,  I  tell  you  if 
ever  the  Yankees  come  runnin  over  there  you 
wont  see  Kaiser  Bill  fer  dust.  Do  you  like  pris- 
ners  base?  What  grade  are  you  in?  Well,  hoping 
you  are  well  and  that  some  day  we  will  meet 
somewhere  in  France,  I  will  close. 

Your  affecshunate  godfather, 

James  Prendergast  Jackson  Jr. 

P.  S.  If  ever  we  go  to  war,  and  I  inlist  and  go 
to  France  I  mite  take  you  back  to  New  York  on 
firlow. 


14  DEER  GODCHILD 

Paris, 
i6  Dec.  1916. 
Dear  Benefactor, 

I  thank  you  with  the  bottom  of  my  heart  for 
your  kindness  unto  me.  Maman  and  me  have 
been  so  content  to  receive  your  letter  and  your 
donation  generous !  Your  succour  will  sweeten 
the  times  difficult  that  we  are  traversing;  and  the 
silver^  you  send  will  permit  me  to  eat  of  the  meat 
and  be  forceful  to  aid  maman  she  has  so  much  of 
labor  and  of  pain!  I  will  tell  you,  dear  bene- 
factor, that  I  am  not  the  most  robust.  But  I  take 
the  oil  of  liver  of  cod-fish  all  the  days  for  make 
myself  high  and  good-carrying.^  Yes,  dear  bene- 
factor, I  will  forget  never  what  you  do,  and  all 
the  nights  I  make  a  prayer  for  you  be  happy  In 
the  life. 

I  cannot  to  read  your  letter  very  well  alone,  be- 
cause I  know  not  sufficient  the  English.  But  I 
have  one  aunt,  she  is  dead,  she  know  very  well 
the  English,  and  she  teach  me  of  it  and  my  great 
sister  also;  she  is  a  dactylographer,^  and  she  know 
the  English  very  perfect,  and  she  me  aids  so  I 

(1)  Silver  (argent)  money. 

(2)  Good-carrying  (hicn  fortante)  healthy. 

(3)  Dactylographer  (tyfisf). 


DEER  GODCHILD  15 

do  mistakes  not  at  all.  And  I  serve  me  of  the 
dictionary  also.  Maman  say  your  letters  will 
make  complete  my  education.  But  some  words 
I  comprehend  not.  What  Is,  for  example,  the 
kid?  I  search  and  I  see  only  It  Is  the  offspring  of 
a  goat.  I  am  sure  in  the  book  is  the  mistake,  for 
my  dear  godfather  will  not  make  the  pain  to  me 
and  my  Maman  in  calling  me  the  offspring  of  a 
goat. 

Dear  godfather,  I  am  also  surprise  that  you 
be  so  much  heavy.  I  have  1 1  years  like  you,  and 
I  am  only  39  kg  heavy.  But  In  Amerique,  Maman 
tell  me,  all  Is  big,  big!  It  Is  droll,  so  big  little 
boys.  Sometimes  I  ask  myself  if  you  are  veritably 
a  little  boy.  Perhaps  It  is  to  make  laugh  you  tell 
me  you  are  one  infant.  Perhaps  you  are  the  old 
gentleman. 

Tell  me  dear  godfather,  what  Is  It  the  Sunday- 
school?  In  Paris  we  go  not  to  school  the  Sunday. 
We  rise  more  lately,  and  we  dress  more  pretty 
than  the  days  of  week,  and  for  breakfast  we  eat 
the  cacao  In  lieu  of  soup  of  potato  left  of  last 
night.  And  we  go  to  the  grand  mass  with  Maman. 
Little  brother  Jean  is  one  infant  of  choir  at  the 
church.     He  do  nothing  but  balance  and  smoke 


1 6  DEER  GODCHILD 

the  Incense,  and  be  pretty  like  one  angel;  because 
his  hairs  are  like  the  gold,  and  his  eyes  like  the 
heaven  when  the  sun  make  shine.  All  at  the  be- 
ginning he  was  not  content  because  the  smoking 
make  him  to  sneeze,  and  he  did  cry,  and  he  wanted 
not  to  indorse**  the  dress  white,  with  lace;  he  say 
he  resemble  to  a  girl ;  and  he  believe  all  the  world 
in  the  church  was  regarding  him.  But  now  he  is 
habituated,  and  he  become  more  sage.  It  is  very 
necessary  he  become  sage,  because  he  Is  so  devil. 
Yesterday,  for  example,  Mr.  le  Cure  give  him  a 
pretty  card  postal  with  the  image  of  angels  and 
tell  him  he  must  apply  to  resemble  to  them;  and 
Jean  responded,  "no  I  want  not  to  be  the  angel 
and  have  wings  like  one  hen!"  Mr.  le  Cure  say 
it  is  Satan  that  commands  the  wicked  words  like 
that,  and  when  he  go  to  fall  In  temptation  Jean 
must  say,  "Vade  retro  Satanas,"  and  that  make 
Satan  go  behind.  And  Jean  say,  "yes  but  then 
Satan  go  at  my  back  and  push  hard,  so  I  fall!" 
It  is  very  sad  little  Jean  be  so  much  bad. 

I  will  tell  you,  dear  benefactor,  that  I  effort 
myself  to  work  and  be  very  sage  so  little  brother 
take  model  on  me.    I  go  to  catechism  two  times 

(4)   Indorse  {»ndosser)   to  put  on 


DEER  GODCHILD  17 

by  week,  and  I  am  on  the  table  of  honor,  and  for 
Christmas  Mr.  le  Cure  give  me  a  pretty  shawl  for 
hold  my  neck  and  shoulders  warm  when  I  go  to 
school. 

For  Christmas  Jean  put  his  shoes  In  the  chim- 
ney for  the  little  Jesus  fill  them  like  all  the  years. 
But  Maman  say  to  him:  "This  year  the  little 
Jesus  carry  nothing,  because  with  all  the  sous  in 
the  world  he  want  to  get  our  big  victory  so  the 
dirty  boches  kill  no  more  our  dear  Papas." 

But,  grace  to  you,  the  morning  of  Noel  the 
shoes  were  all  of  same  remplished.  There  was 
apples  red  and  some  chocolate  and  stockings  with 
long  legs.  We  make  many  of  holes  in  our  stock- 
ings and  all  the  time  there  is  no  more  cloth  in 
places,  so  Maman  cuts  them  down.  So  in  the 
beginning  they  are  long,  then  i/o  long,  then  socks. 
It  was  socks  all  the  winter,  dear  benefactor,  but 
when  your  silver  come,  the  legs  come  long  again. 

In  the  after-dinner  Noel  we  make  a  promenade 
in  the  woods  of  Boulognes.  Now  it  is  the  vacan- 
cies^ of  Noel  and  I  aid  Maman,  she  make  me  some 
black  aprons  new  for  go  to  school,  and  I  sit  myself 
down  on  the  side  of  her.  She  loves  not  that  I  play 

(5)  Vacancies  (.vacances)  vacations. 


1 8  DEER  GODCHILD 

in  the  streets,  because  she  desire  that  I  be  well 
elevated^.  And  it  is  much  snow  in  Paris ;  it  make 
so  cold  that  I  love  not  to  go  out. 

Dear  benefactor,  you  demand  what  grade  I 
am.  I  comprehend  not.  Only  the  officers  have 
grade.  Are  you  an  officer?  I  think  yes,  because 
you  talk  so  much  the  submareens,  etc. 

I  have  nothing  more  to  say  at  you,  but  Maman 
joins  herself  to  me  to  pray  you  to  agree,  dear 
benefactor,  the  expression  of  our  sentiments  the 
most  distinguished  and  respectuous. 

Your  godchild, 

A.  Leblanc. 

(6)  Well  elevated  (bien  elevce)  well  bred. 


Greenville  Falls.  N.  Y. 

Jan.  2,  '17. 
Deer  Miss  Secretary, 

There  is  something  off  about  my  godchild,  you 
no  the  one  you  give  me  to  suport,  well  dad  rored 


DEER  GODCHILD  19 

when  he  saw  the  letter  but  I  think  he  is  a  nut  and 
mother  sez  he  is  two  elevated  fer  me,  so  hoping 
you  will  get  me  a  nuther  one  I  will  close  hoping 
you  are  well. 

Yours  truly, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 

P.S,     I  will  rite  just  the  same  to  this  one  till 
you  get  me  a  nuther  one. 


Greenville  Falls.  N.  Y. 

Jan.  2,  1917. 
Deer  godchild 

How  are  you?  I  got  your  letter  al-rlte  and 
what  I  wood  like  to  no  is  what  in  thunder  is  that 
goat  stuff  you  are  drivin  at?  I  didnt  call  you  no 
names  excep  dere  godchild  and  kid  and  you  are 
both,  and  a  godchild  is  a  godchild  and  sometimes 
a  kid  is  a  goat  and  sometimes  a  goat  is  a  kid  and  if 
you  dont  stop  your  kiddin  you'll  get  my  goat  see? 
Mebbe  you  didnt  mene  to  be  fresh  and  if  you 


20  DEER  GODCHILD 

didnt  will  call  it  square  and  say  no  more  about  it, 
ennyway  I  guess  you  use  that  bloomin  dickshunary 
two  much.  Dickshunaries  is  like  girls  and  is  alrite 
in  there  line,  but  I  aint  got  much  use  fer  them  and 
you  had  best  chuck  yours  out  the  window.  I  guess 
85lbs.  is  a  good  ole  wait  but  39  is  something 
feerce,  why  even  Heloise  aged  5  ways  45  and  she 
dont  eat  enny  of  that  codfish  liver,  and  say  what 
does  it  test  like  ennyway?  I  bet  it  tests  like  ole 
get  out.  I  told  Mother  you  wade  only  39  and  she 
sed,  my  goodness  he  must  have  tuberculosees,  and 
dad  sed,  no,  he  has  not  had  enuf  meat,  but  I  sed 
no  but  he  is  going  to  have  some  now  I  am  suport- 
ing  him.  What  do  you  think?  I  got  enuf  money 
to  suport  you  fer  too  weaks,  and  if  you  will  cross 
your  heart  not  to  tell  because  I  promist  I  woodnt 
and  you  must  do  the  same,  I  will  tell  you  how  it 
hapened,  well  it  was  this  way,  I  was  readin  the 
Motor  Boys  Under  the  Sea  beehind  the  portyares 
and  its  great,  when  in  walk  Carl  Odell  the  young 
feller  across  the  way  and  Amanda  aged  16,  and 
they  set  down  and  didnt  say  much  and  bimby  Carl 
he  takes  Amandas  hand  and  sez,  Amanda  you  no 
how  tis  with  me?  and  she  sez,  why  no  how  is  it 
Carl?  and  he  sez  I  love  you,  and  she  sez  to  Carl, 
this  is  so  suddin,  and  he  sez,  little  girl  will  you 


DEER  GODCHILD  21 

be  my  wife?  and  she  sez,  o  Carl  I  dunno,  and  he 
sez,  I  demand  an  answer  yes  or  no,  and  she  sez 
well  I  dunno  but  as  I  will,  and  he  sed,  sweatheart 
what  day  shall  It  be?  And  I  stept  out  and  sed, 
Hold  on,  dont  go  and  make  it  Tuesday  becaiis 
Amandas  promist  to  go  fishin  and  dad  wont 
let  me  go  to  Frost  Lake  without  her,  caus  its  16 
feet  deep,  and  you  should  have  seen  them  jump. 
They  was  scart  plump  out  of  there  wits,  and 
Amanda  she  sez,  If  he  tells  dad  I  shall  dye,  and 
Carl  he  grabd  me  by  one  ear  and  sed,  Jim,  I 
give  you  the  choyce  of  keepin  quiet  and  gettin 
$1.50  or  squealin  and  being  skinned  alive,  and  I 
sed,  Well  I  am  suporting  a  kid,  I  mean  a  boy,  in 
France  so  I  will  take  the  coin,  so  I  crost  my  heart 
and  sed  hope  to  dye  if  I  squeal  and  you  must  do 
the  same,  caus  bimby  if  the  Yanks  come  runnin 
over  there  you  mite  mete  a  frend  of  Carl  Odells 
and  hed  tell  a  nuther  frend,  and  bimby  all  the 
Yanks  wood  no  it  and  it  wood  get  back  to  Carl 
Odells  ears.  I  bet  that  Jean  Is  some  brother,  say 
hes  al-rite,  all  excep  his  name,  coodnt  you  make 
It  Buster?  Say  what  you  want  to  go  wearin  a 
shawl  fer,  fust  thing  you  no  all  the  boys  will  call 
you  girly,  and  I  dont  intend  to  have  no  godchild 


22  DEER  GODCHILD 

of  mine  cald  that,  no  siree,  not  if  I  have  to  skin 
them  alive  fer  it.  I  no  its  hard  when  things  are 
give  to  you  not  to  wear  them,  last  yere  the  Sun- 
day-school teacher  give  me  a  baby-blew  tie  and 
darn  if  I  didnt  have  to  wear  it  every  Sunday  till 
Lady  Evelin  Jack  Burtons  fathers  best  bull  dog 
found  it  and  et  it.  But  you  go  eezy  on  that  shawl. 
Never  you  mind  about  Sunday-school,  just  you  be 
glad  you  dont  have  to  go  to  it,  though  I  dont  no 
but  goin  to  see  that  balancin  stunt  of  Jeans  is  just 
as  bad.  And  dont  you  be  askin  two  many  ques- 
tions about  me,  mebbe  Im  an  officer  and  mebbe 
Im  not,  and  mebbe  I  no  something  about  sub- 
mareens  and  mebbe  I  don't  but  I  woodnt  let  It 
sprize  you  if  I  come  ridin  in  in  one  of  those  busses 
one  of  these  days,  and  if  I  do  and  I  like  you  I  mite 
even  take  you  back  with  me  to  New  York,  and 
then  goodnite — you'll  see  some  sites.  Say  whats 
that  dope  on  sage?  Hoping  you  are  well  and  will 
rite  to  me  soon  I  will  now  close  hoping  you  are 
well. 

Your  affeckshunate  godfather, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 

P.S.  I  made  Carl  Odell  give  me  the  money  rite 


DEER  GODCHILD  23 

off  becaus  he  is  a  Red  Indian  fer  cheatin.     Did 
you  get  the  Christmas  presents  I  sent  you? 


18  rue  d'Autancourt,  Paris- 
4  Jan.  1917. 
Dear  Godfather: 

The  big  paquet  from  Amerique  come  late  but 
I  receive  it  to-day  and  I  thank  you  very  much. 
You  are  very  good  to  think  so  much  of  me  and  it 
is  very  pretty,  dear  benefactor.  There  is  one 
glove  only,  and  I  am  fearful  that  the  other  rested 
on  the  road^.  But  it  makes  nothing^;  I  have  not 
business^  of  two,  because  one  is  enough  big  for  my 
two  hands,  and  it  is  a  muff  very  warm;  but  veri- 
tably, dear  godfather,  you  are  big  like  giants,  in 
Amerique!  The  little  cage  is  very  commodious 
also,  and  very  pretty.  Jean  believe  It  Is  a  muzzle 
for  dog,  but  no,  I  comprehend  it  is  for  suspend  on 
the  ceiling  for  to  make  pretty  the  house,  with 

(7)  Rested  on  the  road  (restc  en  route)  went  astray. 

(8)  It  makes  nothing  (cela  ne  fait  rien)      it  does  not  matter. 

(9)  I  have  not  biisiness  (je  n'ai  pas  besoin)  I  do  not  need. 


24  DEER  GODCHILD 

plants  green,  climbing. 

Goobye,  dear  benefactor,  I  kiss  you  with  the 
bottom  of  my  heart. 

Your  godchild  all  devoted, 

A.  Leblanc. 


Greenville  Falls.  N.  Y. 
Deer  miss  Secretary, 

Pleese  you  must  do  sumthing  quick  about  my 
orphan  he  is  awful.  I  sent  a  baseball  glove  and 
mask  for  Cristmas  and  he  used  them  fer  a  muff 
and  to  hang  plants  In,  and  he  wares  a  shawl  and 
sits  on  the  table  of  sumthing,  and  now  he  Is  kiss- 
ing me  with  the  bottom  of  his  heart  and  that  is 
the  limit  and  he  must  cut  It  out  because  I  wont 
stand  fer  that.  Hoping  you  are  well  and  you  will 
answer  soon  In  answer  to  my  leter  I  will  close. 

Yours  truly, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 


DEER  GODCHILD  25 

18  rue  d'Autancourt,  Paris 
18  Jan.  19 17. 
Dear  Benefactor: 

I  thank  you  for  your  pretty  letter  so  Interesting. 
My  great  sister  Marie  work  very  hard  for  to  aid 
me  read  it,  but  it  is  very  difficult  to  comprehend. 
It  Is  because  you  talk  the  American  and  the  dic- 
tionary talk  only  the  English.  I  will  try  to  learn 
the  American  If  you  will  to  me  give  the  Instruc- 
tions, Dear  godfather,  you  are  not  in  anger 
against  me?  I  make  always  attention  to  be  polite 
and  genteel,  because  already  I  love  you  from  far. 
But  Marie  say  there  is  the  miss  understand  in  our 
letters  she  cannot  explicate.  For  three  nights  I 
sleep  not  well  because  I  search  to  comprehend 
what  is  it  that  makes  bad,  then  this  morning  I 
have  it  the  idea  brilliant;  there  is  on  the  place  des 
Clercs  the  dentist  American.  It  is  writ  on  his 
door.  Dr.  Yanket,  and  Maman  go  to  sew  on  the 
dresses  of  Madame.  She  talk  very  well  with  two 
tongues,  and  Maman  say  she  regard  the  letters 
then  she  laugh  very  strong.  Then  she  say  to 
Maman :  "Console  your  infant,  it  may  sleep  on  the 
two  ears,^°  because  the  godfather  is  one  very  gen- 

(10)  Sleepi  on  two  ears  (dormir  sur  les  deux  oreilles)  to  sleep  like  a  top 


26  DEER  GODCHILD 

teel  little  boy."  And  then  she  write  a  little  paper 
she  desire  me  copy  for  you  very  careful.  Here  is 
it:  "Jimmy,  in  Uncle  Sam's  name  I  am  proud  of 
you.  You're  the  right  sort  keep  it  up  and  don't 
get  cold  feet.  For  that  godchild  of  yours  Is  very 
much  all  right,  as  you  will  very  soon  realize.  But 
let  me  give  you  frankly  just  one  piece  of  friendly 
advice;  don't  tell  your  kid  to  "chuck  the  dictionary 
out  of  the  window,"  but  rather  get  one  yourself, 
and  polish  up  your  English.  Your  spelling  and 
your  vocabulary  are,  to  use  your  own  expression, 
"something  fierce;"  how  can  you  expect  the  poor 
little  French  child  to  understand  your  slang?" 

There;  I  have  made  copy,  and  again  I  under- 
stand not  very  well.  But  I  am  sure  it  go  to  make 
all  arrange.  And  I  know  that  you  are  one  little 
boy;  I  am  so  content! 

Dear  godfather,  It  Is  very  droll  the  fashion  you 
do  to  make  silver  In  Amerique!  But  It  Is  very 
dangerous,  and  never  In  Paris  we  do  like  that.  I 
see  In  my  book  of  Images  English  how  the  terrible 
Red-skins  scalp  the  enemy,  "skin  'em  alive,"  like 
you  say,  and  I  see  the  image  of  the  chef.  He  have 
long  hairs  black,  with  plumes  red  and  green;  and 
chains  brilliant  suspended,  and  he  carry  in  the 
middle  one  little  apron  of  fur;  and  he  have  not 


DEER  GODCHILD  27 

knowledge  of  the  bon  Dieu.  It  is  call:  "trading 
with  the  Indians."  Oh  please,  dear  godfather, 
do  not  for  me  trading  with  the  Indians !  I  will 
permit  not  that  you  risk  to  be  skin  alive.  I  make 
the  promise  like  you  say,  and  I  make  like  you  the 
sign  of  cross,  but  I  hope  not  to  die  if  I  squeal ;  I 
cry  not  very  often,  but  sometimes,  and  my  poor 
Maman  will  be  to  much  desolated  if  I  die. 

Goodbye  dear  godfather;  believe  at  my  senti- 
ments the  more  affectuous. 


Your  godchild, 


A.  Leblanc. 


To  Mr.  James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 
Dear  Sir: 

I  am  much  interested  in  the  account  of  your 
correspondence  with  your  French  godchild,  and  I 
would  advise  you  not  to  be  discouraged  if  he  does 
not  seem.  In  every  way,  to  be  living  up  to  your 
expectations.     You   must    remember   that   these 


28  DEER  GODCHILD 

fatherless  children  have  suffered  more  deeply  and 
more  courageously  than  you  can  possibly  imagine. 
If  his  letters  sound  rather  effeminate  I  hope  you 
will  In  time  realize  that  it  is  merely  a  difference  of 
language  and  convention  that  gives  you  that  im- 
pression. The  French  are  a  very  affectionate  and 
demonstrative  people.  You  know  that  even  their 
"Papa  Joffre"  kisses  his  brave  soldiers  on  both 
cheeks  when  he  decorates  them. 

You  are  doing  splendid  work  for  a  boy  of  your 
age,  and  I  hope  you  will  not  let  small  prejudices 
get  In  your  way.  Remember  you  are  unusually 
fortunate  to  have  a  child  who  can  write  In  English. 

With  my  best  wishes  and  congratulations,  I  re- 
main cordially  yours, 

Secretary  for  the  Junior  Committee 
of  the  Fatherless  Children  of  France. 


Greenville  Falls.  N.  Y. 

Feb.  3,  1917. 
Deer  godchild 

How  are  you  ?    Say  will  you  do  me  a  f aver  and 
cut  out  kissin  me  with  the  bottom  of  your  heart?  If 


DEER  GODCHILD  29 

you  think  you  ot  to  do  it  you  can  kiss  me  on  both 
cheeks  if  that  is  the  custim  I  guess  I  can  stand  it, 
but  I  had  ruther  you  did  not  kiss  me  at  all  if  it  is 
the  same  to  you  as  we  shake  hands  in  America. 
Say  that  missis  Yankit  is  some  woman  beleeve  me 
and  you  had  better  keep  away  from  her,  fust  thing 
you  no  she'll  be  trying  to  make  me  go  to  school 
every  day  and  buy  a  dicshunary.  What  she  no 
about  the  American  languidge  ennyw^ay?  what  she 
have  to  come  buttin  in  with  her  too  tongues  be- 
tween us?  You  are  my  godchild  and  I  am  your 
godfather  and  if  there  is  ennything  you  dont  un- 
derstand I  am  the  one  to  explane,  and  you  tell  that 
Yankit  woman  she  had  better  be  helpin  her  hus- 
band with  his  teeth  and  let  us  alone,  and  to  put 
that  in  her  pipe  and  smoke  it.  I  am  glad  you  like 
the  Cristmas  presents  I  sent  you  and  if  you  want 
to  string  the  mask  from  the  ceilin  you  are  well 
come  to  it,  but  it  is  ment  to  keep  your  nose  from 
gettin  smasht  when  a  hard  ball  comes  bingin 
through  the  air.  Say,  that  must  be  some  stunt 
sleepin  on  both  ears,  I  have  slep  on  my  stummick 
an  on  my  back  an  on  one  ear,  but  not  on  both. 
Last  nite  we  had  welsh  rabit  fer  super  and  I  did 
not  sleep  enny  way.    It  is  a  good  thing  I  have  that 


30  DEER  GODCHILD 

$1.50  Carl  Odell  give  me  becaus  I  do  not  feel 
al-rite  and  Mother  wont  let  me  go  out  to  work, 
but  I  guess  I  will  get  out  soon  again  so  dont  worry 
about  my  suportin  you.  Say,  thats  al-rite  about 
the  Red  Indians — corse  they  aint  as  numrous  as 
they  was  once  but  there  still  plentiful  in  parts  but 
dont  let  that  worry  you  cause  I  been  brot  up  with 
them  and  no  how  to  handle  them.  Red  Skins  is 
like  snakes  and  Is  al-rite  if  you  keep  your  eye  on 
them.  Course  I  woodnt  advise  you  to  medal  with 
them,  but  I  guess  I  can  look  out  for  myself.  Say, 
how  is  Jean  and  has  he  done  enny  more  stunts? 
I  have  a  sister  Molly  aged  6  and  she  is  going  to 
rite  plays  and  say  she  turns  out  some  great  stuff. 
Yesterday  she  dresst  Cecilia,  you  no  the  one  aged 
7,  as  a  queen  and  Molly  she  was  the  subjeck 
boughed  before  her  and  sed,  Your  majesty  to-day 
unto  you  a  child  Is  born,  and  Cecilia,  I  mean  the 
queen  sed,  Bring  it  in,  and  Molly  the  subjeck  brot 
in  Snookie  the  cat  only  it  was  the  child  then  and 
it  was  all  rigged  up  in  Helolses  close,  and  bimeby 
Helolse  who  was  a  wicked  king  come  runnin  in  to 
kidnap  the  baby  and  she  sed,  no  I  mean  he  sed 
because  she  was  a  king.  That  Is  my  child !  and  the 
subjeck  sed,  It  is  not!  and  the  king  sed,  It  Is  tool 


DEER  GODCHILD  31 

and  the  sujeck  sez  as  cool  as  a  cucumber,  Your 
majesty  you  are  a  lyre !  and  then  they  had  the 
darndest  fite  over  that  baby  you  ever  saw.  Fust 
the  king  hit  the  subjeck  bingo  in  the  eye  then  the 
subjeck  he  pincht  the  babys  tail,  you  no  Snookies, 
and  bimeby  Mother  come  runnin  in  and  stuck 
them  all  in  bed,  but  it  was  a  buly  lite.  I  feel  auful 
queer  so  guess  I  will  close  hoping  you  are  better 
than  I  feel 

Your  affeckshunate  godfather, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 

P.S.  Do  you  like  rabit?    I  hate  it! 

P.S.  Dont  ferget  to  tell  that  Yanket  woman  to 
put  what  I  told  you  in  her  pipe  and  smoke  it. 


18  rue  d'Autancourt, 

Paris, 
18  Feb.  1917. 

Dear  Godfather: 

How  are  you?     I  hope  you  are  no  more  fati- 
gued.   Very  sure  I  will  send  you  the  kiss  cut  out 


32  DEER  GODCHILD 

as  you  say  If  you  prefer.  And  also  I  will  shake 
your  hand.  I  will  do  all  things  American  and  all 
things  that  make  you  pleasure.  But,  dear  god- 
father, you  demand  that  I  tell  to  Madame  Yanket 
to  smoke  the  pipe  and  I  like  not  to  say  that  be- 
cause she  is  one  very  great  lady,  very  genteel. 
But  Maman  say  that  is  only  a  fashion  of  talk 
American  and  I  must  not  make  attention  to  it. 

Yes,  dear  godfather,  I  like  rabbit.  When  we 
live  in  the  country  we  have  two,  one  white  and 
one  black,  and  at  the  end  of  time  we  have  26! 
But  not  Welsh  rabbits ;  French.  They  make  not 
sick  like  yours. 

Dear  benefactor,  I  will  write  you  not  very  long 
this  day,  for  my  great  brother  Jules  come  tonight 
on  permission  of  four  days,  and  I  am  much  oc- 
cupied to  aid  Maman  arrange  all  things  clean  and 
pretty.  I  will  relate  on  him  In  my  letter  of  the 
week  next. 

I  squeeze  your  hand,  and  envoy  to  you  the  kiss 
cut  out  with  my  heart. 

Your  godchild. 

A.  Leblanc. 


DEER  GODCHILD  33 

Greenville  Falls.  N.  Y. 

Feb,  5,  1917. 
Deer  godchild 

How  are  you?    It  waznt  the  rabit  it  is  the  hoop- 
incoff,  I  guess  I  am  goin  to  dye  al-rite. 

J-  p-  J- 


18  rue  d'Autancourt, 

Paris, 
Feb.  20,  1917. 
Dear  Godfather: 

Your  letter  made  me  to  cry.  I  will  permit  you 
not  to  die.  When  I  get  your  letter  I  go  and  break 
my  tire-lire.  It  is  the  little  dog  of  porcelain  with 
one  hole  in  the  stomach.  Maman  give  it  to  me 
for  my  fete,  the  Ste.  Andree,  and  she  give  me  two 
sous  for  put  in  the  hole  all  the  Sundays,  and  it 
come  out  nevermore  until  it  break,  you  compre- 


34  DEER  GODCHILD 

hend?  I  guard^^  the  little  dog  under  my  pillow 
and  it  make  bad  in  my  heart  to  break  it,  but  what 
will  you?  My  dear  godfather  who  Is  only  one 
child  like  me,  work  strong  like  a  man  for  make 
me  happy  and  I  would  break  not  my  tire-lire  for 
to  save  him  from  the  death?  Oh  yes,  a  thousand 
times  yes !  So  I  take  It  out  In  the  court  and  open 
the  stomach  with  one  stone  and  I  make  to  fall  out 
26  sous!  And  I  go  to  the  store  of  objects  pious, 
and  I  demand  one  candle  of  26  sous  or  two  candles 
of  13  sous,  but  the  lady  say  13  Is  a  number  of  un- 
happlness  so  she  give  me  one  of  25  sous,  and  one 
sou  of  paper  of  lace  of  gold  to  put  around.  And  I 
go  quick  to  the  church,  and  put  up  the  candle  to  the 
Ste.  VIerge,  and  she  will  see  it  from  the  sky,  and 
she  will  see  you  also  in  Amerique  and  make  you 
not  to  die.  M.  le  Cure  see  the  little  flag  American 
that  you  send  me  and  that  I  attach  to  the  candle- 
stick and  he  caress  my  head  and  say;  "What  for 
is  it?'*  So  I  tell  him  and  he  say  I  am  very  genteel. 
But  all  of  a  hlt^^  j  j^git  in  tears,^^  because  I  know 
I  am  not  genteel,  dear  godfather!     I  am  very, 

(11)  1  guard  (je  garde)  I  keep. 

(12)  All  of  a  hit  (tout  d'un  coup)  suddenly. 

(13)  Melt  in  tears     (fondre  en  larmcs)  burst  into  tears. 


DEER  GODCHILD  35 

very  bad  and  wicked;  I  tell  not  the  truth  and  I 
conduct  not  myself  well  unto  you.  Perhaps  you 
will  pardon  me  never!  I  go  to  confession  and 
M.  le  Cure  say  for  my  penitence  I  must  also  con- 
fess to  you  that  I  am  one  little  girl!  Oh  dear 
godfather,  be  not  too  much  in  anger!  I  am  so 
sad  I  I  comprehend  not  how  it  arrived,  but  when 
you  write  to  me  and  say  you  love  not  the  little  girls 
I  was  afraid  and  responded  nothing.  Dear  god- 
father, I  will  tell  you  that  when  I  was  little  I  pray 
often  the  bon  Dieu  make  me  one  boy,  because  you 
know,  for  Him  nothing  is  impossible.  But  He 
wish  I  remain  a  girl,  and  now  I  have  cheated  and 
He  punish  me  very  strong  In  make  you  so  much 
fatigue  you  almost  die.  I  cannot  write  more  this 
day  because  I  am  too  much  sad.  But  if  you  die 
not  please  tell  me  soon  because  I  am  so  much 
unquiet.  I  assure  you  I  will  nevermore  be  so 
villain. 

your  godchild  repentant, 

Andree  Leblanc. 

P.S.  Maman  say  the  Comite  Americain  put  me 
like  one  boy.  It  is  the  two  "e"  that  make  one  girl. 
P.P.S.  I  search  what  Is  the  hoopincoff,  but  I  find 


36  DEER  GODCHILD 

it  not.  Surely  it  is  the  very  dangerous  malady, 
but  if  you  die,  you  go  to  Paradise;  M.  le  Cure 
promise  me. 


Greenville  Falls.  N.  Y. 
Deer  miss  Secretary, 

The  boy  you  give  me  Is  a  girl.    What  are  you 
going  to  do  about  it? 

Yours  respekfully, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 


Dear  Mr.  Jackson 

In  reply  to  your  letter,  we  would  state  that  the 
mistake  was  due  to  the  handwriting  of  the  child's 
mother,  making  the  name  appear  to  be  spelt  with 
one  "e"  instead  of  two,  and  thus  making  it  a 
boy's  name. 


DEER  GODCHILD  37 

We  will  endeavor,  as  soon  as  possible,  to  re- 
pair our  error,  as  it  was  never  our  intention  to 
deceive  you. 

Very  truly  yours, 
Junior  Committee  of  the  Fatherless 

Children  of  France. 


Greenville  Falls.  N.  Y. 
Deer  Miss  Secretary, 

I  didnt  say  you  were  deceivin,  I  just  want  to  tell 
you  the  boy  you  give  me  was  a  girl  so  you  wood 
not  make  that  mistake  agen.  It  is  the  limit  when 
you  have  told  the  fellers  you  had  a  boy,  to  go  and 
get  a  girl,  and  when  I  shod  the  letter  to  dad  he 
sed  by  jove  youre  in  a  fine  posishun  you  are  and  I 
sed  how  is  that,  and  he  sed  fust  thing  you  no  you 
will  get  yourself  talkt  about,  ritin  to  a  girl  In 
France  and  that  would  be  fine  woodnt  It? 

Respectfully  yours, 

J.  P.  Jackson  Jr. 


38  DEER  GODCHILD 

Greenville  Falls,  N.  Y. 

March  7,   19 17. 
Deer  godchild, 

I  received  your  letter  and  I  did  not  dye.  Of 
corse  you  cant  help  bein  a  girl  insted  of  a  boy  and 
thats  al-rlte  because  Heloise  and  Myra-Louise  and 
Nelly  the  girl  next  dore  and  pretty  nerely  every 
body  wood  ruther  be  a  boy  than  a  girl,  but  you 
were  the  limit  to  fib  about  it  and  you  have  put  me 
in  a  auful  queer  posishun,  so  no  more  fer  this 
time. 

Your  godfather, 

J.  P.  Jackson  Jr. 

P.S.  I  will  suport  you  just  the  same  so  do  not 
worry. 


Paris, 
21  March  1917. 

Dear  Mr.  James, 

.1  have  your  letter,  and  I  perceive  that  you  arc 
very  much  ofFensed.     One  time  more  I  demand 


DEER  GODCHILD  39 

pardon;  but  I  cannot  be  like  you  want,  and  by 
consequence  I  can  never  more  call  myself  your 
dear  godchild;  if  you  love  me  not,  and  I  am  of- 
fensive, I  have  not  business  of  you  and  your  sil- 
ver. Please  give  it  to  one  unhappy  little  boy. 
It  Is  worth  better  that  I  have  hunger,  it  is  worth 
better  that  I  be  made  dead  by  the  boches,  than  to 
be  like  one  little  mendicant.  I  demand  to  Maman 
If  it  Is  not  true,  and  she  say  yes. 

I  thank  you  for  all  the  pain  you  did  take  for 
me  and  I  forget  never.  When  I  become  grand  I 
will  render  to  you  all  you  pay  for  me. 

Goodbye  monsieur  James.  Receive  the  expres- 
sion of  my  best  salutations, 

Andree  Leblanc. 


Greenville  Falls,  N.  Y. 
April  2,  19 1 7. 
Deer  godchild, 

Say  what  is  the  matter  with  you  ennyway  and 
why    don't    you    want    me    to    support    you    enny 


40  DEER  GODCHILD 

longer?     I   am   your  godfather   and   yoa    are    my 
godchild    and    it    is    a    legal    afare,    dad    sez,    and 
if    ennybody    sez    ennything    about    it    they    will 
have  to  deel  with  me,  see?    Ennyway  mebbe  I  was 
kinder  cranky  about  it,  and  you  kinder  fibbd,  so 
lets  say  we  had  a  scrap  and  shake  on  it  and  let  it 
go  at  that,    lots  of  the  fellers  hear  have  scraps  with 
the  girls,  and  last  weak  Dinky  Odell  who  is  Carl 
Odells  yungist  brother  had  one  with  Heloise  be- 
cause he  hollerd,  Heloise  go  wash  your  feet,  the 
bord  of  helths  across  the  street,  at  her  and  she  cried, 
but  he  sent  her  a  peach  of  a  poim  to  make  up,  and 
hear  it  is,  "If  you  dont  like  me  enny  more,  then  I 
shall  inlist  and  go  to  war!"    I  guess  Dinky  is  goin 
to  be  a  poit  al-rite.    You  no  I  mite  go  to  war  two, 
lots  of  the  fellers  hear  are  inlistin  in  forrin  regi- 
munts,  theres  Carl  Odell  who  has  joind  the  Cana- 
dian Royal  Fling  Corpse,  and  Hanky  Jones  is  goin 
to  drive  a  truck  in  France  and  I  guess  he  will  be 
some  driver  al-rite  because  he  has  druv  the  new 
automobile  hearse  fer  too  years  now,  and  say  he 
goes  like  the  dickuns.    Corse  I  aint  sayin  Im  goin 
to  inlist  rite  away  but  I  got  some  ideas  in  mind 
and  Im  thinking  of  raisin  a  regiment  of  boy  scouts 
or  Red  Indians,  I  guess  the  Red  skins  wood  be  the 


DEER  GODCHILD  41 

best,  and  say  woodnt  Kaiser  Bill  look  chepe  if  he 

saw  a  bunch  of  Red  Skins  beatin  it  after  him?    I 

bet  hed  run  to  beat  the  band,  and  I  bet  theyd  catch 

him,  and  if  they  did,  goodnite  fer  Kaiser  Bill.    Say 

they  woodnt  do  a  thing  to  him  exept  mebbe  scalp 

him  or  skin  4iim  alive,  and  woodnt  he  look  chepe 

then?     Red  Skins  is  auful  feerce  when  they  get 

goin,  and  I  dont  rekon  ennybody  co.od  stop  them 

once  they  got  started.    We  had  an  auful  scare  last 

nite  I  had  been  suportin  you  all  day  by  choppin 

wood  and  I  was  dead  beet  but  all  of  a  suddin  I  was 

woke  up  by  dad  and  he  was  yellin .Murder!  Murder! 

and  Amanda  and  Cecilia  and  Mother  who  had  her 

hare  in  curl  papers  rushd  in,  and  there  was  dad 

having  a  buly  fite  in  bed,  and  he  was  punchin  the 

pllo,  and  yellin  Murder!  Murder!  and  we  was  all 

scart  to  go  neer  him  because  'he  wood  punch  us  like 

the  pilo,  so  Mother  took  a  pitcher  of  cold  water  and 

throo  it  in  his  face,  and  that  woke  him  up  and  he 

was  mad  as  time,  and  sed,  what  you  tryin  to  do, 

drown  me  ?    And  then  he  laft  and  told  us  his  dreme 

and  it  was  this  way.  Max  Dinkelheim,  the  'shoo- 

maker  was  a  German  spy  and  he  was  trying  to  sell 

hot  dogs  with  boms  in  them  and  no  one  new  there 

was  boms  in  them  exept  dad  And  he  sed,  you  dirty 


42  DEER  GODCHILD 

Fritz  cut  that  out,  and  Max  he  grabd  dad  by  the 
hare  and  dad  he  yankd  Max  by  the  ear,  and  they 
was  havin  a  buly  fite  when  out  come  five  more  ger- 
mans  and  begun  to  paist  dad  on  the  head,  and  corse 
he  coodnt  manige  the  6  of  them  so  he  was  yelling 
Murder!  Murder!  And  then  he  got  the  pitcher  of 
water  and  that  was  all.  I  bet  dad  cood  have  lickd 
the  stuffin  out  of  Max  Dinkelheim  al-rite,  and  I  bet 
we  are  goin  to  have  war  this  weak  and  if  we  do,  dad 
sez  the  Kaiser  will  find  out  he  has  bit  off  more 
than  he  can  chew,  and  you  had  better  make  up  with 
me  because  I  think  you  are  al-rite,  and  if  we  have 
war  I  mite  be  in  a  posishun  to  help  you.  Thank 
you  fer  burning  that  candle  fer  me,  we  have  been 
burning  some  sulfur  ones  fer  Heloise  and  Molly  and 
they  seem  to  be  gettin  along  nicely.  Dont  fergit 
when  you  rite  to  say  if  you  are  not  mad  at  me  enny 
more. 

Your  affeckshunate  godfather, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 

P.S.  Hows  your  big  brother  been  makin  out? 
P.P.S.  Thank  you  very  much  fer  ^bustin  that  dog 
fer  me.    I  have  a  pig  with  a  hole  in  it  and  if  I  ern 
enuf  money  next  weak  I  will  send  it  to  you. 


DEER  GODCHILD  43 

P.P.P.S.    Who  is  that  Mr.  le  Cure  you  talk  so  much 
about? 


18  rue  d'Autancourt. 
April  16. 

Dear  Monsieur  James: 

When  I  go  to  school  the  week  past  I  see  the  flag 
of  Amerique  floating  well  high !  And  all  the  world 
is  content  because  you  come  to  aid  us  terminate  by 
a  peace  victorious  this  war  so  terrible,  and  be  like 
one  brother  for  the  triumph  of  the  Justice,  and  the 
Liberty,  and  the  Humanity.  That  is  what  the  mis- 
tress of  school  explicate  to  us,  and  we  love  and 
honor  the  Amerique  like  the  great  sister  Republique, 
and  then  she  tell  us  get  up  and  learn  chant  the 
song  of  the  Banner  of  Stars.  Perhaps  you  have 
hear  it?  It  begin:  "Oh,  dites,  voyez-vous  anx 
lueurs  dii  matin."  etc.  The  mistress  write  it  all 
on  the  tables  black,^"^  and  we  copy  In  lieu  of  the 

(14)  Tables  black  {tableaux  nolrs)    black  boards. 


44  DEER  GODCHILD 

exercise  of  grammar,  and  it  make  us  all  joyful. 
But  all  that  make  me  think  so  much  of  you,  that  I 
cannot  empeche^^  myself  even  if  you  are  no  more 
my  godfather,  to  pin  the  little  flag  American  that 
you  give  me,  on  my  heart,  that  save  you  from  the 
death  by  the  hoopincoff  when  I  attach  it  to  the 
candle  of  the  Ste.  Vierge.  And  then,  pending  the 
recreation  of  mid-day,  I  go  home  and  the  factor 
bring  your  letter!  And  when  I  return  at  school 
I  effort  myself  so  strong  to  read  your  letter,  that  I 
cannot  make  like  it  must^^  my  chart  geographic. 
But  I  promise  Isabelle  Gaveau,  the  little  girl  of 
the  merchant  of  shoes,  that  if  she  will  to  aid  me, 
I  will  lend  her  my  pretty  handkerchief  new,  for 
go  to  church  the  morning  of  Easter.  So  we  be  all 
content  and  I  have  very  much  the  time  to  reflect 
and  respond  at  your  letter. 

Dear  Monsieur  James,  I  comprehend  that  you 
want  I  continue  be  your  dear  godchild.  I  demand 
to  Maman  what  I  do,  and  she  say:  "Take  the 
silver,  and  make  no  more  infantile  foolishness. 
Only  one  onion  cost  five  sous  now,  and  the  life  is 
very  hard,  but  Amerique  have  the  great  heart  to 

(15)  Empeche  myself  (.m'empicber)    I  cannot  help 

(16)  Like  it  must  icomme  il  faut)  nicely. 


DEER  GODCHILD  45 

help  us  and  give  us  the  hand,  and  we  work  all 
the  two  for  the  Patrie."  So,  dear  godfather,  we 
be  not  mad  at  ourselves  any  more,  and  I  promise 
I  make  no  more  the  fib,  and  you  make  no  more  the 
cranky,  is  it  not?  I  must  to  make  many  progress 
in  American  for  when  you  come  I  reckon  you  come 
like  the  dickuns,  like  yellin  thunder,  with  the 
skin'em  alive  Red-skins  and  the  hot  dogs ! 

Dear  benefactor,  what  is  it  the  hot  dogs?  My 
great  sister  say  it  is  a  species  of  machine-gun 
American. 

It  is  very  funny  your  Papa  make  the  wicked 
dream!  You  have  the  very  beautiful  family.  Me 
too.  Great  brother  Jules  is  already  the  corporal 
and  he  is  like  the  Chevalier  Bayard  without  fear 
and  without  reproach.  One  day,  he  tell  me,  a 
great  eclat  d'ohiis  take  off  his  hat,  and  he  pick  it 
off  the  ground  and  say:  "Ho  Fritz!  I  wanted  not 
be  so  polite  and  salute  you !"  And  my  great 
brother  tell  me  many  things  important  on  the  war. 
But  I  write  them  not,  because  the  censure  would 
scold  me;  perhaps  put  me  in  prison. 

Pending  his  permission  of  four  days,  he  teach 
little  Jean  the  chants  of  the  regiment.  Some  are 
not  for  the  little  infants,   Maman  says,   so  he 


46  DEER  GODCHILD 

whistle  them.  But  Jean  love  the  military  chants 
much  more  than  the  ones  of  latin  he  learn  to  sing 
in  the  church,  and  I  hope  he  mix  them  not.  Dear 
godfather,  tomorrow  is  Easter  and  I  am  making 
an  egg  for  you.  It  is  a  surprise  so  I  tell  you  not 
what  is  In  it. 

Your  affeckshunate  godchild, 

Andree  Leblanc. 


May  5,  1917. 
Greenville  Falls,  N.  Y. 
Deer  godchild, 

Gee  whiz  but  Kaiser  Bill  is  in  f  er  it  I  Gee  whiz, 
you  ot  to  see  how  Uncle  Sam  is  fixin  up  f er  him  1 
Jo  Kelly  and  Walter  Daly  and  lot  of  the  felers 
are  going  in  fer  aviashun  and  Bill  Wilson's  scout- 
master and  organizin  a  crack  bunch  of  boy  scouts 
and  we  have  a  home  Deefence  and  dad  has  got  a 
uniform  and  a  wooden  gun  and  he  sez  it  is  a  pretty 
good  bunch  of  felers,  but  he  cood  do  more  with 
them  if  he  was  captin  insted  of  mister  Larkin,  who 
is  a  good  feler  but  a  bum  captin.     I  aint  sayin 


DEER  GODCHILD  47 

much  but  I  got  a  few  idees  and  I  woodnt  let  it 
sprize  you  if  I  was  to  invent  something  one  of 
these  days,  but  I  cant  tell  you  what  it  is  becaus  the 
censer  wood  cut  it  out.    I  got  your  egg  and  I  thank 
you  fer  it,  but  say  it  got  me  in  dutch  al-right,  it  was 
this  way,  the  postman  brot  the  packidge  just  as  I 
was  going  to  school  and  I  didnt  have  time  to  open 
it  so  I  took  it  along  and  we  was  havin  some  speshul 
exercises  fer  a  kernel  Dudley  who  was  to  talk  on, 
Do  your  bit  to  help  win  the  war,  and  Bug  Hadley 
was  recitin  the  getysberg  adress  and  I  opened  the 
packidge  and  their  was  your  egg  all  smasht  up.    I 
guess  them  cardboard  eggs  aint  very  strong,  or 
mebbe  the  censer  didnt  handel  it  gently,  ennyhow 
it  was  smasht  and  the  curl  inside  it  was  there  al- 
rite  only  it  was  kind  of  mixt  up  with  the  cream 
candy  and  I  was  unmixin  them  when  Lily  Graham 
who  set  beehind  me  whisperd  to  Erny  Dinkelheim, 
who  is   Max  Dinkelheims  youngist  son,   Jimmy 
Jacksons  girl  in  France  has  sent  him  a  curl!  and 
Erny  started  to  laff  and  say,  O  you  Curly — Curly 
Jackson!  and  I  sed.  You  shut  up  I  and  he  sed,  O 
pooh-pooh — pooh-pooh — and    I    sed,    Dont    you 
pooh-pooh  me !  and  he  sed.  Who  will  I  pooh-pooh 
then?  and  I  sed,  Pooh-pooh  the  Kaiser,  and  he  sed, 


48  DEER  GODCHILD 

The  Kaiser  wont  let  me  pooh-pooh  him  and  you 
leave  him  alone!  And  I  sed,  The  Kaiser  is  bug- 
house, and  Erny  he  made  a  grab  at  me  and  landed 
me  one  on  the  chin,  and  I  paisted  him  one  on  the 
eye  and  Bug  Hadley  he  stopt  sayin  the  getysberg 
adress,  and  miss  Davis  she  was  jumpin  up  and 
down  hollerin  O  boys,  O  boys,  stop  them,  stop 
them !  and  kernel  Dudley  he  hopt  off  the  stand  and 
pulld  us  apart,  and  miss  Davis  was  fer  puttin  us 
on  the  platferm  with  our  arms  on  each  others 
shoulders,  but  the  kernel  sed.  No,  it  is  that  other 
boys  fait,  send  him  home.  So  they  sent  Erny 
home  and  he  was  mad  as  time.  Then  the  kernel 
give  his  talk  and  sed  how  the  girls  cood  help  by 
making  the  bandiges  and  how  the  boys  cood  find 
out  who  was  fer  the  guvernment  and  who  wasnt. 
I  bet  Erny  and  his  father  isnt,  and  I  am  going  to 
keep  my  eye  on  them.  Then  we  sang  the  french 
nashunal  anthem  and  it  is  a  fine  him,  and  it  goes 
this  way  in  English  :Ye  sons  of  France  awake  to 
glory,  the  day  of  victory  has  come,  your  childrens 
wives,  and  sires  horny,  behold  there  tears — and 
thats  as  far  as  Ive  lernt,  we  have  got  to  lern  all 
of  it,  and  their  is  a  buly  part  that  goes,  March  on. 
Yesterday  the  fife  and  drum  corpse  plaid  it  and 


DEER  GODCHILD  49 

the  Star  Spangled  Banner  and  some  of  the  boys 
lafft  becaus  the  fifes  sort  of  sqweekt.     I  dont  see 
how  ennybody  can  laff  when  they  play  the  Star 
Spangled  Banner.  Did  you  get  my  pig?  I  suported 
you  this  weak  by  polishin  lo  door  handels  at  7 
cents  each,  some  of  them  was  already  poHsht  but 
the  folks  was  real  nice  about  it  and  let  me  give 
them  an  extry  polish.    Say  why  dont  you  tell  me 
who  that  Mr.  le  Cure  is?     I  have  askt  you  too 
times  now,  and  say  if  I  was  you  I  woodnt  say, 
come  like  the  dickens  or  skin  them  alive  or  enny 
of  that  kind  of  talk.    It  is  al-rite  fer  boys  who  are 
used  to  ruflin  It,  but  it  Is  not  nice  fer  girls  so  If  I 
was  you  I  wood  go  easy  on  It,  and  hot  dogs  aint 
machine  guns,  they  are  sausidges  that  are  made 
from  those  low-down  german  dogs  that  heve  short 
legs,  but  say  they  test  buly  in  a  roll.    The  vilets 
and  pollywogs  have  come  and  I  wood  send  you 
some  but  I  guess  they  wood  dry  up  before  you  got 
them.     Enny  way  you  neednt  worry  much  about 
the  war  now  that  Uncle  Sam  Is  In  It  we  will  lick 
the  stuffin  out  of  him  together,  I  mean  out  of 
Kaiser  Bill. 

Your  affeckshunate  godfather, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 


50  DEER  GODCHILD 

P.S.  Bug  Hadley  sez  it  is  lucky  fer  him  Erny  and 
I  had  that  fite,  because  he  had  fergot  what  come 
after,  and  dedicatid  to  the  proposishun. 


June  3,  19 1 7. 
18  rue  d'Autancourt,  Paris. 
Dear  Godfather: 

It  is  great  damage  that  the  pretty  egg  of  Easter 
I  sent  you  be  smasht  up!  But  I  regret  yet  more 
that  to  receive  my  paquet  make  you  dispute  your- 
self in  dutch,  like  you  say,  with  the  little  villain  In 
school.  All  the  same  I  am  content  you  landed  him 
one  in  the  eye  (I  comprehend  not  what  you  want 
say  by  that,  but  I  am  sure  the  little  boche  com- 
prehend) and  you  are  one  valiant  patriot. 

Dear  godfather,  why  say  you  the  girls  must  go 
easy  to  learn  the  American?  I  effort  myself  to 
be  instructed  with  the  words  In  your  letters  the 
dictionary  contains  not  but  if  they  are  nothing  but 
for  little  boys  I  pray  you  to  tell  me  the  pretty 
words  for  the  little  girls.  I  am  sure  my  dear  god- 
father serves  himself  not  of  villain  talk.     Jean 


DEER  GODCHILD  51 

was  put  in  penitence  yesterday  because  he  say  one 
word  that  is  for  Poilus  only,  and  Maman  turn 
him  against  the  wall  in  the  corner  with  the  hands 
behind;  and  do  you  know  what  he  do  when  we 
regard  him  not?  He  lick  the  paper  on  the  wall 
and  make  it  to  come  off.  So  Maman  give  him  the 
spank.  Dear  godfather,  I  am  happy  to  make  you 
a  little  pleasure  in  sending  you  my  portrait.  I 
think  it  is  well  succeeded  and  very  resembling,  and 
will  you  have  the  obligeance  to  envoy  to  me  the 
one  of  you? 

Dear  godfather,  I  make  to  you  a  list  of  words 
American  I  comprehend  not,  and  I  hope  you  will 
have  the  obligeance  to  explicate  them  to  me.  What 
is,  for  example,  gee  whiz,  felers,  boy  scouts,  bum, 
home  defence,  kernel,  getysberg  adress,  mebbe, 
pooh-pooh,  bug-house,  the  dickens,  pollywogs,  and 
lick  the  stuffin  out?  I  effort  myself  very  strong  to 
find  them,  but  It  is  not  worth  the  pain  to  search 
any  longer  in  the  dictionary. 

Your  affeckshunate  godchild, 

Andree  Leblanc. 


52  DEER  GODCHILD 


Greenville  Falls,  N.  Y. 
Julys,  1917. 


Deer  godchild, 


How  are  you?  I  dont  see  that  their  is  enny  fun 
in  life  enny  more.  I  erned  $1.56  pickin  cheries  off 
the  Burtons  black  chery  tree  and  I  thot  that  wood 
make  70  cents  fer  you  and  I  would  spend  the  rest 
on  fire  crakers,  well  Toby  that  is  the  Burtons  mas- 
tif  that  is  always  chened  up,  broke  loose  and  I 
guess  he  remembered  when  Johnny  Smith  and  me 
had  swiped  some  cheries  last  yere  when  he  was 
chened  up,  becaus  he  give  one  yip  and  come  and 
set  rite  under  that  tree,  and  he  set  their  and  grinnd 
at  me  all  afternoon,  and  bimeby  their  was  a 
thunder  shower  and  I  had  on  my  blew  pants  that 
was  made  from  dads  that  had  got  too  tite  fer 
him,  and  I  thot  when  it  begin  to  rain  Toby  wood 
beat  it,  but  he  just  set  their  and  didnt  move  till 
bimeby  mister  Burton  come  along  and  yankt  him 
away  by  the  color.  Well  I  had  pickt  the  cheries 
al-rite  but  I  was  soked  clear  through  and  the  color 
had  come  off  my  pants  and  on  my  legs.  It  is 
feerce  to  have  blew  legs.  Well  I  thot  I  wood  stop 
and  buy  a  canon  craker  and  a  pistol  and  I  wasnt 


DEER  GODCHILD  53 

going  to  fire  them  off  before  the  4th.  but  ole  Max 
Dinkelheim  was  walking  kind  of  slow  in  front  of 
me  and  I  thot  I  wood  try  the  pistol  just  once  to 
see  if  it  workt,  so  I  walkt  a  little  faster  and  shot 
it  off  bingo  and  you  shood  have  seen  ole  Max 
jump!  He  give  one  flop  in  the  air  and  hollered, 
A  bom!  A  bom!  I  guess  he  thot  I  was  a  sub- 
mareen,  and  when  he  saw  it  was  me  beat  it  after 
me  and  we  run  all  the  way  home,  and  Max  he 
run  rite  Into  dad  and  sed.  Where  is  that  boy  I 
will  teech  him  to  molest  a  peaceful  citizen.  And 
dad  sed,  What  has  he  done?  And  he  told  him 
and  sed,  I  am  going  to  give  him  the  best  lickin  of 
his  life,  and  dad  rolld  up  his  sleeves  and  sed,  Not 
till  you  lick  me  first!  And  Max  kind  of  lookd 
at  dad  just  like  in  the  dream  and  I  guess  he  was 
scart,  so  he  sed,  If  you  will  promise  to  see  he  Is 
punlsht  I  will  leve  it  to  you,  and  dad  sed,  I 
promise,  and  Max  left  and  dad  he  come  up  and 
was  mad  as  ole  get  out,  and  he  took  my  pistol  and 
canon  away  and  I  had  ruther  he  had  give  me  a 
lickin  because  after  too  days  you  can  set  down  and 
are  al-rlte  again.  We  have  just  herd  the  Yanks 
have  landid  somewhere  In  France.  Say,  If  you 
want  to  see  a  bunch  of  rele  fiters  you  just  go  take 


54  DEER  GODCHILD 

a  look  at  them,  and  you  mite  tell  your  brother 
Jules  to  take  a  look  at  them  two  as  he  might  get 
some  ideas  from  them.  I  cant  tell  you  what  all 
those  words  mean,  gee  whiz  is  just  gee  whiz  and 
a  feler  is  a  guy  who  is  about  12  or  18,  and  a  bum 
is  a  feler  or  something  that  is  no  good,  and  a 
pollywog  is  a  animal  that  is  going  to  be  a  frog, 
and  pooh-pooh  is  pooh-pooh,  and  bughouse  means 
you  have  rats  in  the  upper  story,  and  you  had 
better  find  out  about  the  getysberg  adress  and  the 
boy  scouts  and  mebbe  and  the  dickens  yourself  but 
I  wood  go  easy  on  them  if  I  was  you.  What  you 
want  to  go  askin  me  all  those  things  fer  ennyway? 
I  aint  askin  you  what  the  vacancies,  or  all  of  a  hit, 
or  pending,  or  enny  of  those  things  are,  am  I?  I 
got  your  photo  and  I  like  the  way  your  hare  curls 
and  your  eyes  two  and  everythin,  and  I  am  glad 
you  are  not  laffin.  Girls  that  giggle  are  the  limit. 
•I  have  only  one  photo  of  myself  and  I  look  as 
if  I  wood  dye  grinning  becaus  the  man  that  took  it 
was  jumpin  up  and  down  and  sayin,  Look  hear! 
Look  hear!  Say  wood  you  relly  like  to  have  it? 
I  dont  think  you  wood,  I  dont  see  what  good  I  am 
ennyway.  I  am  two  young  to  inlist  and  I  dont 
think  you  relly  like  me.     I  guess  mebbe  I  had 


DEER  GODCHILD  55 

better  go  to  sea  or  something. 

Your  affeckshunate' godfather, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 

P.S.  I  went  butterflying  to-day  and  had  good  luck. 


18  rue  d'Autancourt,  Paris. 
August  2,  19 17. 
Dear  godfather: 

You  know  what  It  is  the  "cafard?"  In  the  dic- 
tionary it  say  it  is  a  "roach"  and  that  is  the  httle 
beast  black  like  your  pollywogs,  I  think.  But  in 
the  Poilu  talk  it  means  not  that.  When  there  is 
no  more  fun  in  life,  and  I  am  not  good  for  any- 
thing anyhow,  like  you  say,  that  is  what  they  call 
to  have  the  "cafard."  And  it  Is  very  bad  in  the 
army.  It  is  to  have  a  bad  morale  and  we  must 
wind  ourselves  up. 

Dear  godfather,  you  must  be  content  because  I 
love  you  much.  And  you  take  so  much  pain  and 
you  labor  so  hard  to  entertain^^  me,  I  want  make 
you  happy  In  your  heart  so  you  have  no  more  the 

(18)   entertain  (cniretenir)     to  support. 


56  DEER  GODCHILD 

"cafard."  Dear  godfather,  I  will  tell  you  the 
American  PoUus  have  come.  On  Monday  last 
we  hear  the  music  on  the  road  and  the  mistress 
tell  us  this  afternoon  all  the  children  must  put  on 
aprons  clean,  and  we  go  to  see  pass  the  Ameri- 
cans. And  Maman  give  me  five  sous  for  pur- 
chase a  bouquet  for  give  them  in  souvenir  of  my 
dear  godfather,  and  the  fleuriste  give  me  two 
roses  red  and  I  envelope  them  in  a  paper  wet  for 
hold  them  fresh.  And  all  the  little  girls  march  in 
rank  like  soldiers,  two  by  two,  on  to  the  road 
where  the  Americans  come.  And  the  gendarmes 
march  before  us  to  make  spread  open  the  crowd 
so  we  come.  And  we  stand  in  rank  and  it  make  a 
very  long  line  and  shake  the  flag  American  and 
wait.  The  sun  was  brilliant  and  very  hot  and 
after  a  very  long  moment,  we  hear  the  big  music 
come  around  the  corner,  and  all  bodies  were 
screaming:  "Vive  I'Amerique!  Vive  les  Etats 
Unis!  Hurrah  Sammies!"  and  the  gentlemen 
throw  up  their  hats  in  air.  And  all  of  a  hit  we 
see  the  banner  of  stars  coming  down  the  street, 
and  I  look  and  all  the  little  girls  at  a  time  kneel 
themselves  on  the  sidewalk.  And  I  make  the  sign 
of  the  cross,  and  the  little  girls  at  back  of  me 


DEER  GODCHILD  57 

laugh  and  mock  at  me,  but  the  mistress  say  it  is 
right;  the  sign  of  the  cross  is  good  for  the  flag 
too.  And  when  the  flag  is  pass  we  arise  and  say- 
hurrah  also,  and  one  soldier  American  regard  me 
with  a  smile.  Then  I  take  my  courage  with  two 
hands  and  cast  away  the  roses  on  him,  and  he 
catch  and  kiss  me  with  his  hand,  and  put  the  roses 
in  his  coat.  His  name  is  Teddy  and  I  love  him 
much.  I  know  because  he  come  see  me,  because  I 
write  my  name  (with  two  es)  and  adresse  tied  to 
the  roses.  My  Maman  was  very  much  surprise 
when  she  see  Monsieur  Teddy  come  and  ring  to 
the  door.  He  is  very  well  elevated  and  very 
beautiful.  He  has  buckled  hairs^^  and  a  line  on 
one  side  and  his  figure  is  razed.^°  His  uniform  is 
the  color  of  the  ground;  it  is  not  so  much  pretty 
as  the  French  Poilus  who  are  the  color  of  the  sky. 
And  his  hat  is  tied,  like  a  bonnet  of  old  woman, 
with  a  shoe-lace  in  the  back.  But  I  love  him  all 
of  same.  He  take  me  on  his  knees  and  say:  "Par- 
lez  vous  frangais"  and  he  begin  to  recite  the  verb 
**avoir,"  because  he  know  nothing  more  of  French. 
And  so  I  say  I  know  very  well  the  American  and 
I  talk  at  him  and  he  laugh  very  strong.    And  he 

(19)  Buckled  hairs    (clieveux  boucles)      curly  hair. 

(20)  His  fig-ure  is  razed  (ja  figure  est  rasce)  his  face  is  shaved. 


58  DEER  GODCHILD 

give  me  a  piece  of  bonbon  very  droll.  It  Is  mint 
but  It  Is  like  elastic;  I  eat  a  great  number  of  pieces 
because  I  want  not  to  offence  him,  and  Teddy  all 
of  a  hit  become  very  much  frightened:  "What," 
he  say,  "You  did  swallow  the  chewing  gum!"  And 
I  say:  "Naturally  I  swallow  the  bonbon!"  And 
Teddy  say  a  bad  English  word  and  run  away 
without  his  hat  and  he  come  back  with  a  bottle  of 
ipecac  and  I  will  not  take  because  I  know  what  it 
make  do.  And  poor  Teddy  was  very  much  des- 
olated; he  come  every  day  to  get  of  my  news,  and 
to-day  he  bring  the  bonbons  French  that  we  swal- 
low. To-day  he  ask  me  will  I  be  his  little  adopted 
girl  the  year  next  when  you  have  finish  with  me 
and  I  say,  "Mebbe  I  will."  And  he  say,  "Bully 
for  you,  you're  a  peach!"  I  make  him  write  be- 
cause it  is  the  American  and  not  in  the  dictionary. 

Goodbye,  dear  godfather. 

Your  affeckshunate  godchild, 

Andree  Leblanc. 

P.S.  I  am  surprise  you  ask  who  is  M.  le  Cure. 
Only  the  pagans  have  not  knowledge  of  him.  Are 
you  one  pagan?  I  think  you  say  that  to  make 
laugh.  It  is  very  bad  to  mock  yourself  of  M.  le 
Cure. 


DEER  GODCHILD  59 

To  Mr.  James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 
Dear  Sir: 

Due  to  the  great  confusion  and  delay  existing  in 
the  mails  at  the  present  time,  we  have  not  until 
now  been  able  to  repair  our  error  concerning  your 
godchild.  We  take  pleasure  in  announcing  that 
we  are  now  in  a  position  to  supply  you  with  a  boy 
as  formerly  requested. 

As  to  the  little  girl,  we  can  no  doubt  provide 
for  her  until  other  arrangements  can  be  made. 
Elderly  gentlemen,  we  find,  are  particularly  fond 
of  adopting  little  girls. 

Hoping  you  will  pardon  our  delay,  and  inform 
us  as  soon  as  possible  concerning  your  wishes  in 
this  matter,  we  beg  to  remain. 

Sincerely  yours. 
The  Junior  Committee  for  The 

Fatherless  Children  of  France. 


6o  DEER  GODCHILD 

Greenville  Falls,  N.  Y. 
Deer  Miss  Secretary, 

It  is  more  than  kind  of  you  to  bother  about 
changing  my  girl  into  a  boy,  but  it  cant  be  done 
because  I  have  changed  my  mind  about  it,  but  I 
thank  you  all  the  same.  You  see  it  is  this  way, 
at  fust  I  wanted  a  boy  and  I  was  kinder  sore  after 
setting  my  heart  on  one  to  get  a  girl,  but  the  girl 
you  give  me  is  diferent  from  most  girls,  she  seams 
to  have  a  lot  of  rele  sense,  and  I  have  got  kinder 
used  to  her,  and,  well  I  woodnt  like  to  have  her 
unprovided  and  waitin  fer  a  old  gentleman  to 
adop  her.  Some  old  gentlemen  are  auful  cranks. 
Old  Sam  Burton  who  is  our  naybor  is  the  limit. 
He  has  had  5  wives  and  Mother  sez  Lord  only 
nos  what  he  has  done  with  them,  enneway  we 
dont.  And  she  has  sort  of  been  takin  it  ezy  while 
I  was  suportin  her  and  the  change  wood  come 
hard  to  her,  I  mene  my  godchild  not  Sam  Bur- 
ton's wife.  Ennyway  the  yere  is  most  over  and 
you  no  how  folks  talk.  Fust  thing  I  new  they 
wood  say,  young  Jackson's  a  fikle  feller.  Thot 
he'd  adop  a  orfan  and  now  hes  swaped  his  girl 
fer  a  boy.  You  no  how  people  will  talk,  so  I  guess 
I  can  stand  my  godchild  fer  this  yere  ennyway, 
and   after  that  we   shall   see.      Of   corse   I   was 


DEER  GODCHILD  6i 

simply  sterilized  when  I  lernt  she  was  a  girl,  but 
even  a  girl  is  preferable  to  a  boy  that  wore  shawls 
and  sed  everything  was  prety  and  kist  you  with 
the  botom  of  his  heart.  She  has  cut  that  out  now, 
and  I  am  gettin  her  in  prety  good  shape.  Ex- 
planing  whats  what  to  her  and  every  thing.  So  I 
guess  we  can  manige  but  I  am  obliged  to  you  fer 
the  asking. 

Yours  truly, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 


Greenville  Falls,  N.  Y. 
Sept.  5,  1917. 
Deer  godchild. 

Your  letter  reeched  me  safely,  and  I  was  re- 
leeved  to  here  the  boys  had  got  safely  "over 
there."  Of  corse  we  have  had  some  few  notes, 
pertikerly  from  Hanky  Jones  you  no  the  feller  that 
drove  the  hearse  I  tole  you  about.  Well  he  is 
drivin  somewhere  over  the  top  in   France,  not  a 


62  DEER  GODCHILD 

hearse  but  a  truck,  and  oh  boy,  he  sez  the  swellest 
funeral  he  ever  drove  fer  cant  hold  a  candel  to 
drivin  a  truck  with  Fritz  bulets  bingin  all  round 
you  and  he  sez,  I  received  the  kit  you  sent  me  and 
it  is  a  great  comfort  (the  kit  is  not  a  cat  but  a 
assortment  of  handkerchiefs  and  tooth  brushes 
and  everything  a  soldier  gets  and  Mother  sent 
him  his  and  so  he  rote  to  thank  her)  an  he  sez  if 
I  go  over  the  top  with  the  best  of  luck  and  get 
enuf  leave  to  come  home  I  will  give  Myself  the 
pleasure  of  calling  on  you,  and  showin  you  what 
a  Greenville  soldier  looks  like.  My  reciprocity 
shall  never  end.  And  he  goes  on  tellin  how  french 
cookin  agrees  with  him  and  the  censer  didnt  cut 
that  out,  but  he  cut  out  the  best  part  I  guess.  Enny- 
way  the  censer  must  have  a  soft  spot  fer  you  be- 
cause he  never  cuts  enny  part  of  yours  out.  I 
guess  ennyway  you  must  be  a  pretty  poplar  girl 
you  have  so  many  frens,  that  think  a  lot  of  you, 
theres  your  brother  Jules  and  that  Mr.  le  Cure 
and  that  guy  Teddy  and  me.  I  was  sort  of  think- 
in  about  you  and  me  the  other  day  and  I  rote  a 
verse  of  poitry  about  us  and  here  it  is. 


DEER  GODCHILD  63 

Realization 
By  James  Prendergast  Jackson,  Jr. 

Im  over  here,  and  your  "over  there '^ 
And  I  no  not  the  shade  of  your  eyes  or  your  hare. 
But  this  much  I  relize,  from  the  land  of  the  Free!, 
You  are  imbibed  with  mystery! 

I  think  that  sums  up  the  situation.  I  have 
supported  you  one  yere  and  you  dont  no  me,  and  I 
dont  no  you,  and  mebbe  you  will  never  mete  me 
and  mebbe  I  will  never  m&te  you,  a<nd  while  I  am 
tryin  to  think  how  I  can  get  over  there  along 
comes  that  feler  Teddy  and  gets  his  eye  on  you 
and  sez,  Guess  111  have  h&r  for  my  godchild,  and 
Bully  fer  you  your  a  peach !  and  you  fall  f er  it  of 
corse,  and  I  have  to  take  a  back  seat.  I  guess  that 
is  life,  but  I  tell  you  It  is  pretty  tuf  sometimes  and 
a  feler  who  is  twelve  yeres  old  has  more  trubbles 
than  you  think.  But  I  guess  if  you  want  to  be  his 
godchild  I  wont  stand  between  you.  Mebbe  you 
wood  like  a  list  of  how  I  have  suported  you? 
Here  is  some  of  it,  mindin  chickins,  selling  Mir- 
rors, choppin  wood,  frezin  ice-cream  fer  Crankit 
&  sons,  pickin  cherles,  money  from  Carl  Odell  fer 
keepin  quiet,  polishin  door  handels,  a  mud  turtle 
to  Sid  Perkins,  a  jar  of  pollywogs  to  Sid  Perkins, 


64  DEER  GODCHILD 

he  wants  to  build  an  aquarium,  and  I  washt  the 
winders  of  missis  Perkins  big,  white  house  one 
weak  when  I  was  hard  up,  but  I  dont  think  I  shall 
ever  be  hard  up  again  as  mister  Parker  has  ofered 
to  take  me  on  the  Mirror  staff  whenever  I  hke,  as 
he  sez  I  talk  like  a  book  agent.  I  wish  I  cood  leve 
school  and  go  into  bizness  or  to  war  or  something. 
I  dont  seem  to  get  much  out  of  school  somehow. 
Miss  Davis  sez  to  mother,  Mebbe  your  son  has 
deefective  eyes  but  she  sez  to  me,  You  are  a  block- 
hed.  I  guess  miss  Davis  is  off  the  trolly  or  some- 
thing, Dad  sez  she  has  Fritz  blood  because  she  is 
distently  related  to  the  Dinkelheims.  I  was  sory 
to  hear  you  had  swallerd  all  that  gum,  but  was 
glad  to  see  you  got  away  with  it,  that  feler  was 
the  limit  to  give  it  to  you,  it  is  not  a  thing  to  give 
to  a  godchild.  Fust  thing  you  no  when  he  is  your 
godfather  he  will  feed  you  a  shoestring  or  some- 
thing, and  you  will  be  two  polite  to  say  no  and  you 
will  dye.  I  hate  to  think  of  you  ending  that  way 
It  dont  seem  rite  somehow.  Say  what  does  he 
want  to  buckle  his  hare  and  line  it  up  one  side  fer? 
He  must  think  his  hed  Is  a  race  track.  Gee  whiz  I 
hate  to  think  of  the  Yanks  comln  runnin  over 
there  with  felers  like  that  among  them.  I  have 
been  In  swimmin  with  Dinky  Odell  in  old  Frost 


DEER  GODCHILD  65 

Lake  to-day  and  he  stumpt  me  to  swaller  a  skipper 
and  sed  I  bet  a  quarter  you  will  not,  so  I  swallerd 
one  and  it  didnt  test  ennything  at  all,  only  it  kind 
of  crawled  up  and  down  my  throte  fer  awhile  and 
o  Boy!  didnt  he  tickel  though!  The  next  time  I 
swaller  a  skipper  I  shall  chew  him  fust.  If  you 
dont  they  walk  inside  of  you  as  if  they  was  saying 
"where  do  we  go  from  hear?"  Say  you  were 
pretty  smart  about  catching  on  about  my  jokin 
about  Mr.  le  Cure.  Corse  I  dont  no  him  as  well 
as  you  do,  caus  you  no  and  I  no  he  has  lived  on 
the  other  side  more  than  hear,  but  I  guess  if  we 
was  to  pass  on  the  street,  we  wood  no  each  other 
well  enuf  to  say.  Hello,  old  top,  how  are  you  to- 
day? Say,  I  have  got  your  Christmas  present  all 
pickt  out,  do  you  no  what  I  wish  you  wood  give 
me  fer  mine?    See  if  you  can  guess. 

Your  affeckshunate  godfather  as  ever, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 


66  DEER  GODCHILD 

1 8  rue  d'Autancourt,  Paris. 
September  21,  1917. 
My  dear  godfather : 

I  thank  you  for  your  long  letter,  and  I  give  it 
to  Monsieur  Teddy  so  he  read  and  see  how  much 
you  are  genteel.  He  regard  the  letter  and  regard 
me  and  his  figure  become  very  droll,  like  he  want 
laugh  or  cry  very  much  and  he  dare  not  and  must 
retain  himself,  and  he  demand  if  he  can  keep  the 
letter  in  his  pocket  for  tomorrow,  because  he  de- 
sire to  envoy  you  a  response  with  mine.  He  Is 
very  amiable  and  charming,  think  you  not?  He 
come  to  my  house  all  the  days  now  and  always  he 
bring  something.  Sunday  he  bring  a  pate  like  we 
eat  on  days  of  fete  before  the  war;  and  he  remain 
for  aid  us  eat  it.  And  yesterday  he  bring  a  great 
ribbon  all  white  for  tie  on  my  hairs.  He  say  In 
Amerlque  all  the  little  girls  carry  on  the  summit 
of  the  head  a  ribbon  big  like  a  hat.  He  want  not 
I  keep  for  the  Sundays  but  he  tie  me  up  and  then 
he  say  I  am  pretty — jolly  he  say,  and  he  demand  I 
show  him  to  speak  the  French.  So  he  commence 
to  read  my  book  of  when  I  was  little,  the  "Lec- 
tures Enfantlnes"  and  I  make  him  say  the  little 
poetry  that  is  on  the  page  3  and  it  say:  "Cher 


DEER  GODCHILD  67 

petit  oreiller,"  and  then  my  great  sister  enter  and 
she  have  on  her  bodice  of  Sundays  and  very  much 
the  powder  of  rice  on  the  nose.  And  she  say:  "Go 
in  the  bed-chamber  and  amuse  yourself,  and  I  talk 
with  this  Monsieur  Americain."  And  I  want  not 
to  go,  and  I  cry,  but  she  say  if  I  obey  not  she  will 
tell  Monsieur  Teddy  come  back  never  again.  She 
is  a  villain,  my  great  sister.  I  will  defend  that  she 
aid  me  to  write  my  letters  to  you ;  I  have  not  busi- 
ness of  her.  I  have  as  much  as  her  knowledge  of 
the  English,  and  the  American  also.  And  Mon- 
sieur Teddy  love  me,  nothing  but  me.  When  he 
get  up  to  go  away  he  call :  "Where  is  that  child 
of  the  gods?"  (He  make  that  game  of  words  be- 
cause I  have  perhaps  two  godfathers)  And  I 
come,  and  he  console  me.  Thursday  last  It  was 
my  birthday.  Monsieur  Teddy  devined  it  because 
he  ask  me  how  much  age  I  have  and  I  say  I  will 
have  twelve  years  the  18,  and  he  say  in  Amerique 
it  is  always  a  great  feast  and  I  must  to  eat  a  cake 
very  big  with  snow  and  ice  on  it  and  candles,  and 
so  he  bring  it.  I  was  washing  the  vessels,^^  and 
he  come  in  the  kitchen  and  make  many  foolishness. 
He  whip  me  (to  make  laugh)  twelve  times  with  a 
little  stick  so  I  grow  very  big  all  the  year.    And 

(21)    Washing  the  vessels  Uavcr  la  vaisselle)    washing  the  dishes. 


68  DEER  GODCHILD 

then  he  make  me  hide  my  eyes  In  my  apron,  and 
when  I  open  them,  I  see  the  cake,  big  and  white 
like — oh  like  I  know  not  what — and  the  twelve 
candles  pink  were  illuminated  and  there  was  my 
name  with  the  two  es  writ  in  chocolate  on  the 
snow.  And  Monsieur  Teddy  bring  also  the  cold 
cream;  it  is  rose  like  the  candles  and  perfumed 
with  vanilla  and  strawberries.  Oh  dear  godfather, 
I  wanted  you  be  here  and  have  some !  Only  one 
time  before  when  I  was  little  I  did  eat  the  cold 
cream  and  never  when  it  is  the  war  did  we  eat 
cake.    And  it  is  good  like  to  be  in  Paradise  1 

But  alas !  Monsieur  Teddy  soon  will  go  beat 
himself^^  ^Jth  the  boches!  It  is  terrible  to  think 
because  he  is  so  good  and  beautiful  I  I  told  you  he 
have  little  wings  white  on  him,  because  he  go  up 
in  the  air? 

Goodbye,  dear  godfather. 

Your  affeckshunate  godchild, 

Andree  Leblanc. 


(22)  Beat  himself     (se  battre)  to  fight. 


DEER  GODCHILD  69 

Greenville  Falls,  N.  Y. 
October  6,  19 17. 

Deer  godchild, 

I  am  sending  you  this  letter  in  anser  to  yours 
quick,  becaus  I  think  if  you  are  not  careful  that 
Teddy  will  poison  you  with  his  eats.  The 
gum  was  bad  enuf  and  I  was  jokin  when  I  sed 
what  I  did  about  the  shoestring,  but  cross  my 
heart  and  hope  to  dye,  that  feedin  you  cold  cream 
is  the  wust  I  ever  herd,  and  what  makes  me  feel 
so  bad  is  there  is  no  one  to  warn  you  and  he  is 
stringin  you  on.  Gee  whiz,  it  makes  me  sick  to 
think  of  it!  I  have  not  been  able  to  eat  fer  two 
days,  yesterday  we  had  pancakes  fer  brekfast  and 
I  cood  not  eat  enny  and  mother  sed,  I  wonder 
what  ales  James?  And  dad  sed.  In  the  spring  a 
yung  mans  fancy,  and  mother  sed  quick,  It  is  not 
spring,  Prendy,  it  is  fall,  and  I  think  it  is  his 
stummick  that  is  turned  and  dad  sed,  No  it  is  his 
heart  I  have  found  his  poitry,  and  mother  sed, 
Well  you  may  be  rite  but  I  shall  give  him  a  dose 
of  caster  oil.  You  no  the  oil  of  the  caster,  just  like 
you  had  the  oil  of  the  codfish  only  this  tests  like 
sam  scratch  see?  Well  I  had  to  swaller  some  and 
it  was  feerce  and  fer  too  cents  I  wood  twist  that 


70  DEER  GODCHILD 

feller  Teddy's  nose  and  stick  my  finger  in  his  eye. 
Gee  whiz,  and  he  wares  white  wings  dose  he,  and 
jumps  up  in  the  air.  Some  angel  beleeve  me.  say 
mebbe  he  is  a  angel  that  has  fallen  from  the  sky? 
or  a  acrobat  from  Barnums?  only  I  guess  if  he 
comes  from  Barnums  he  must  be  a  freak  al-rite. 
Ennyway  until  this  yere  ends  you  are  my  godchild 
and  I  am  your  godfather,  and  I  forbid  you  to 
tuch  enny  more  of  that  Teddys  eats,  understand? 
If  you  are  hungry  you  just  tell  me,  and  I  will  send 
you  the  proper  food,  and  it  will  not  be  gum,  or 
cold-cream  or  candels  ether,  I  can  tell  you.  Why 
even  Mr.  le  Cure  wood  no  enuf  not  to  give  you 
enny  of  those  things.  That  Teddy  is  not  fit  to 
have  a  godchild,  and  that  is  the  hole  story  in  a 
nutshell.  I  dunno  just  what  I  shall  do  if  he  rites 
to  me.  Mebbe  I  will  anser  and  mebbe  I  wont.  I 
guess  I  shall  tell  miss  Betty  about  it.  Have  I  ever 
tole  you  about  her?  She  lives  in  the  big  house  on 
the  hill  next  to  Sid  Perkins  and  she  has  hare  like, 
well  like  what  you  sed  about  Jean's,  like  gold  and 
sunshine,  and  big  blue  eyes  and  the  cutest  little 
chin  with  a  dimple  rite  in  the  middle,  and  when  she 
smiles  she  makes  me  think  of  the  ferry  queens  you 
read  about  in  books.  I  guess  miss  Betty  is  the 
prettiest  girl  on  earth  al-rite.    She  was  one  of  the 


DEER  GODCHILD  71 

folks  what  let  me  give  there  dorenobs  a  extra 
polish,  and  she  nos  all  about  you  and  now  I  have 
tole  her  about  that  Teddy,  and  she  sez,  I  no  just 
how  you  feel  about  him  Jimmy.  It  is  a  grate  com- 
fort to  have  someone  understand  you  if  your  fam- 
ily do  not.  And  I  askt  her  if  she  new  enny  poitry 
in  f  rench  I  cood  send  you  by  way  of  conversashun, 
and  she  sez,  I  remember  just  one,  and  here  it  is, 
"Je  vous  aime,  je  vous  adore, 
Que  votilez  vous  done  encoreT^ 
I  thot  that  was  kind  of  short  but  she  sed  if  I 
sent  this  to  you  you  mite  send  that  feler  Teddy 
packin,  but  I  guess  you  wont.  I  dont  no  when  I 
have  had  so  much  bad  luck  as  I  have  had  lately. 
Fust  their  was  the  hoopincoff,  then  my  blew  legs, 
then  I  lost  my  firecrakers,  and  now  I  guess  I  am 
going  to  lose  you  al-rite.  I  fergot  to  tell  you 
their  is  a  new  preecher  hear  called  Herbit  Hoover 
and  he  is  a  minister  of  the  gospel  of  the  Clean 
Plate,  and  all  us  school  boys  have  been  distributin 
little  papers  about  it,  the  idee  is,  if  you  do  not  be- 
leeve  in  it  you  eat  meat  and  wheat  and  everythin, 
and  if  you  beleeve  a  little  you  have  meatless  days 
and  eat  rye  and  no  wheat,  and  if  you  get  the  reli- 
gion rele  hard  you  lick  your  plate  clean  and  eat 
pretty  near  nothing  at  all.    Ennyway  nobody  must 


72  DEER  GODCHILD 

eat  sugar.    Dad  sez  It  Is  becaus  sugar  has  turned 

to  dimonds,  so  we  have  sirup  Insted  and  it  Is  pretty 

good,  the  pancakes  I  was  tellln  you  about  was 

made  with  that.    Mother  sez  the  sugar  situashun 

Is  going  to  be  rele  bad.     I  hope  their  is  some  left 

fer  my  birthday  which  Is  near  Thanksgiving  day. 

Say,  you  and  I  come  near  bein  twins  do  you  no 

that?     Just  too  weaks  more  and  we  wood  have 

been  born  together,  only  I  wood  have  been  your 

twin  over  here  and  you  wood  have  been  my  twin 

over  there.     Say  woodnt  that  have  been  funny 

though !     Stranger  things  have  happlned  though. 

It  does  seem  sort  of  strange  to  think  those  too 

weaks  have  made  me  your  godfather  and  you  my 

godchild  Insted  of  us  beIn  twins.     I  tole  mother 

about  It  and  she  sed  she  thot  it  was  better  the  way 

It  is.    I  have  saved  up  47  cents  fer  your  Christmas 

present  I  am  not  going  to  tell  you  what  I  wish  you 

wood  do  fer  mine.    I  am  going  to  see  If  you  can 

guess  it. 

Your  ever  affeckshunate  godfather, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 


DEER  GODCHILD  73 

18  rue  d'Autancourt,  Paris. 
September  24,  19 17. 

My  dear  godfather: 

I  am  afraid  this  letter  can't  be  in  my  own  style 
and  handwriting  this  time,  for  Mr.  Teddy  is  here 
and  I  have  asked  him  to  help  me  with  my  English, 
in  exchange  of  my  helping  him  with  his  French. 
My  mind  is  troubled  and  I  think  he  can  express 
my  thought,  so  he  has  taken  the  pen  in  hand,  and 
I,  sitting  on  a  little  stool  at  his  feet,  and  gazing 
up  at  him,  try  to  make  him  understand  what  is  in 
my  mind. 

But  first  of  all  Mr.  Teddy  wants  to  ask  you  to 
forgive  him.  If  he  seems  to  be  "butting  in"  and 
spoiling  the  game  between  you  and  your  godchild. 
Honor  bright,  he  didn't  mean  to  do  it.  It  was 
fate.  Just  blind,  mysterious,  and  merciless  fate 
that  decreed  that  things  should  happen  as  they 
did.  Mr.  Teddy  may  be  a  blessing  in  disguise, 
anyway  he  couldn't  be  helped,  and  he  has  no  ex- 
cuse to  offer,  except,  perhaps,  that  he  is  alone  in 
the  world  and  homesick  in  a  foreign  land.  He 
is  sorry  you  and  he  can't  fight  a  duel  over  the 
situation,  but  I  am  very  glad.  And  Mr.  Teddy 
wants  to  tell  you,  very  seriously  that  he  takes  off 


74  DEER  GODCHILD 

his  hat  to  any  little  fellow  of  your  size  who  can 
do  the  plucky  thing  you  have  done,  and  keep  it 
up  so  well.  If  grown  up  men  all  had  more  of 
your  spirit,  he  says,  the  war  would  be  over  long 
ago. 

The  object  of  this  letter  is  as  follows:  I  (your 
godchild)  wish  to  make  amends.  I  wrote  you 
yesterday,  and  didn't  answer  your  letter.  Not  a 
word  did  I  say  about  it,  except  that  I  had  received 
it,  then  I  prattled  away  all  about  another  would- 
be  godfather  for  whom  you,  naturally,  have  no 
earthly  use.  And  to-day  my  heart  is  filled  with  re- 
morse and  my  head  Is  filled  with  fears  lest  you 
should  think  your  dear  godchild  is  ungrateful, 
fickle,  and  flighty.  I  want  to  tell  you  how  every 
detail  of  your  life — from  knob-polishing  and  bug- 
swallowing  to  poetry-writing  Is  dear  and  precious 
to  me.  How  I  wish  I  could  do  the  same  I  How  I 
live  In  eager  expectation  of  your  letters;  how  I 
gloat  and  ponder  over  them  when  they  come ;  and 
how  deep  is  the  gloom  Into  which  I  am  plunged 
when  they  do  not  come  1  Mr.  Teddy  knows  all 
that,  because  I  have  somehow  expressed  It,  and  If 
I  had  striven  to  hide  my  thought  he  would  have 
guessed  It,  for  he  knows  full  well  what  goes  on 


DEER  GODCHILD  75 

in  the  hearts  of  little  maids  and  gallant  lads. 

Therefore  have  I  asked  him  to  voice  my  deepest 
feelings  in  a  poem  that  will  answer  yours : 

"Idealization" 

By  Andree  Leblanc  and 
Yankee  Teddy. 

"Though  our  eyes  may  never  meet, 
To  me  you're  more  than  bread  or  meat, 
You  are  the  proud  and  noble  knight 
That  I  pray  for  every  night. 
You  could  stand  up  on  burning  decks, 
While  others  ran  to  save  their  necks, 
You  would  not  fear  the  dreadful  Hun, 
In  Freedom's  cause  you'd  fire  a  gun. 
A  lad  who  never  gets  cold  feet 
Was  not  destined  to  know  defeat. 
But  oh!  thou  child  of  many  pray'rs 
Beware  of  Jealousy's  deep  snares!'* 

From  your  affectionate  godchild, 

Andree  Leblanc. 


76  DEER  GODCHILD 

Greenville  Falls 
Oct.  10,  1917. 
My  dear  Mr.  Teddy, 

Jimmy  has  just  brought  me  your  letter,  in  great 
excitement,  and  I  am  taking  the  liberty  of  answer- 
ing it  myself,  as  I  don't  think  he  could  do  himself 
justice  under  the  present  circumstances.  Mr. 
Teddy,  did  you  ever  have  a  soft  spot  for  a  little 
girl,  when  you  were  about  eleven  or  twelve?  I 
had  one  for  a  little  boy;  he  was  older  than  I,  about 
fourteen;  his  name  was  Robert,  and  he  had 
freckles;  I  think  he  squinted,  too,  and  he  teased 
all  the  girls  a  great  deal.  I  am  sure  he  was  a  very 
horrid  little  boy,  as  I  look  back,  but  at  that  time 
I  thought  he  was  wonderful,  and  it  almost  broke 
my  heart  when  he  said  he  had  no  use  for  little 
yellow-haired  girls  and  took  a  girl  with  two  brown 
pigtails  to  a  big  children's  party.  Instead  of  me. 

Jimmy  has  a  very  soft  spot  for  his  godchild, 
and  it  is  more  than  a  passing  fancy  with  him.  You 
see,  his  family,  while  not  actually  poverty-stricken, 
are  not  as  well  off  as  they  used  to  be,  and  Jimmy 
has  practically  supported  Andree  himself  all  the 
year,  through  countless  little  odd  jobs.  I  have 
seen  him  on  the  coldest  winter  days,   chopping 


DEER  GODCHILD  77 

wood  or  going  from  door  to  door  asking  to  shovel 
snow,  and  his  fingers  were  so  red  and  frozen  he 
could  scarcely  hold  the  shovel;  yet  he  was  always 
ready,  with  a  smile,  to  do  more  work  for  his  "kid 
in  France."    Andree  is  his  godchild,  his  sister,  his 
whole  family  to  him ;  and  he  shoulders  the  respon- 
sibility of  looking  after  her  with  all  the  seriousness 
of  a  little  old  man.     Now,  right  in  the  middle 
of  this  flourishing  state  of  affairs  you  come,  with 
your  big  American  pockets  filled  with  elastic  candy 
and  bon-bons,  and  at  a  moment's  notice  you  pro- 
duce cold-cream,  perfumed  with  strawberry  and 
vanilla,  and  snow-covered  cakes  such  as  Jimmy 
can  never  hope  to  equal.    What  little  girl  would 
not  turn  fickle  to  her  first  love  in  the  presence  of 
such  a  display?     At  first  Jimmy  was  filled  with 
natural  jealousy  at  your  intrusion.     He  was  all 
for  going  over  there  and  giving  you  a  piece  of  his 
mind;  but  since  receiving  your  letter  he  has,  al- 
most incredibly,  come  to  feel  sorry  for  you  be- 
cause, as  he  says,  "it  must  be  pretty  tuf  to  be  all 
alone  over  there,  and  I  guess  he  thinks  my  god- 
child is  a  peach,  all  right."    And  Jimmy  is  right; 
you  must  be  so  very  very  lonesome !     And  yet 
couldn't  we  manage  to  cheer  you  up  a  little  with- 


78  DEER  GODCHILD 

out  taking  Jimmy's  godchild  away  from  him?  I 
don't  know  of  any  little  godchild  I  could  give  you 
in  exchange,  but  I  do  know  of  a  girl  who  lives 
with  an  Invalid  mother  in  a  big  white  house  on  a 
hill,  and  who  would  only  be  too  glad  to  have  a 
soldier  for  a  godson  and  send  him  little  packages 
of  cigarettes,  and  pictures  of  movie  stars  (of 
which  she  has  a  great  collection)  and — oh  tell  him 
about  home  and  friends  and  people  and  every- 
thing. 

I  am  sending  you  this  letter  care  of  Andree 
Leblanc,  if  you  would  care  for  the  arrangement 
I  suggest,  would  you  let  me  know? 

Sincerely  yours, 

Elizabeth  Winslow 


1 8  rue  d'Autancourt,  Paris. 
November  2,  1917. 
My  dear  godfather: 

Jules  has  received  a  wound,  and  he  Is  very  joy- 
ful because  It  make  him  not  to  die;  on  the  con- 


DEER  GODCHILD  79 

trary  it  make  him  cited  at  the  order  of  the  day 
and  decorated  with  the  Medaille  Militaire.  He 
make  two  boches  prisoners  and  catch  them  with 
one  hand  because  the  other  had  the  very  bad  hurt. 
And  then  he  fainted  himself  on  the  ground  and 
the  Cross  Red  pick  him  and  conduct  him  at  a  great 
hospital  In  Paris.  And  Tuesday  Maman  and 
Marie  go  to  see  him  and  take  him  the  lemonade. 
And  yesterday  Monsieur  Teddy  ask  Maman  the 
permission  to  take  me  to  see  him  also  and  she  say 
yes  and  we  go.  We  ride  in  the  tramway  pending 
a  long  time  and  I  give  Monsieur  Teddy  a  lesson  of 
French,  and  he  say  nothing  but,  out,  out  and  chic 
alors — zut  alors!  And  all  the  travelers  regard 
us  and  laugh  and  Monsieur  Teddy  laugh  also. 
But  when  we  arrive  at  the  hospital  he  laugh  not 
at  all.  He  take  my  hand  and  I  keep  It  very  tight 
because  I  am  frighten.  It  Is  very  beautiful,  the 
hospital.  There  Is  the  great  garden  with  trees 
and  flat  bands^^  and  the  soldier  sentinel  at  the 
door.  Inside  It  Is  all  white  and  dark,  a  little  like 
the  church,  and  It  smell  of  pharmacy  and  nobody 
make  a  noise.  A  lady  white  conduct  us  up  the 
stairs  and  open  a  door,  and  I  see  a  great  number 

(23)  Flat  bands  (plate-handes)    flower  beds. 


8o  DEER  GODCHILD 

of  beds  in  lines  with  Poilus  in  them.  When  they 
see  the  uniform  American  some  make  the  salute 
military  and  I  feel  myself  very  proud.  Jules  was 
so  content  he  say  it  make  his  hurt  to  go  away  im- 
mediately. And  Teddy  sit  on  a  chair  and  give 
cigarettes  and  try  to  make  conversation  with  his 
hands.  And  I  sit  on  the  bed  and  make  talk  with 
two  tongues  and  ten  fingers  also.  And  Teddy  say 
he  will  come  again  see  brother  Jules  all  the  Sun- 
days and  Thursdays  and  console  him  until  he  go 
to  fly  away.  Very  sure  he  is  one  angel,  Mr. 
Teddy!  And  he  go  up  in  the  heavens  with  the 
wings!  Oh  little  foolish  godfather!  Understand 
you  not  he  is  one  aviator?  And  you  must  not  be 
in  anger  when  he  give  me  the  good  things  to  eat. 
Perhaps  in  Amerique  the  cold  cream  is  bad,  but  in 
Paris  it  make  you  not  sick,  on  the  contrary.  I 
show  not  your  letter  to  Mr.  Teddy  because  you 
say  for  two  cents  you  twist  his  nose  and  his  eyes 
and  it  is  not  very  genteel,  dear  godfather.  When 
you  think  wickedness  the  bon  Dieu  punish  you.  It 
is  because  you  think  wickedness  of  Mr.  Teddy 
that  you  become  sick  and  cannot  to  eat  the  pan- 
cakes, and  must  drink  the  oil  of  the  caster. 

I  am  content  that  the  Miss  Betty  understand 


DEER  GODCHILD  8i 

you  and  you  tell  her  all  things,  and  she  Is  like  the 
ferry  with  the  twisted  hairs.  Hairs  like  gold  is 
very  pretty  for  little  boys  like  Jean,  but  on  ladies 
it  look  like  the  sun  have  fade  the  color.  Thank 
you  for  the  poetry  she  make.  But  my  great  sister 
see  it  and  she  say  to  Maman:  "These  infants 
write  great  foolishness  all  the  time.  If  it  con- 
tinues we  must  give  Andree  no  more  stamps  of 
five  sous.  We  will  make  the  economy  and  send 
only  a  card  postal  all  the  three  months  when  the 
Comite  Americain  send  the  silver  of  the  god- 
father." 

And  I  am  very  unhappy  because  Maman  will 
not  permit  me  to  polish  door-knobs  like  you  and 
gain  silver  for  the  stamps  of  five  sous.  But  little 
Jean  come  squeeze  my  neck  and  console  me,  and 
say  he  will  work  and  become  rich  to  purchase  the 
stamps  of  five  sous.  Poor  little !  He  know  not 
what  it  is  the  life,  but  he  is  one  brave  little  man, 
and  I  think  he  will  resemble  to  you,  dear  god' 
father.  Oh,  I  forget,  in  my  other  letter  I  write 
when  Mr.  Teddy  come,  to  say  I  desire  very  much 
your  portrait  where  you  are  grinning,  like  you  say. 
I  love  much  the  grinning  godfather,  I  will  place 
you  above  my  bed,  under  the  branch  of  blessed 


82  DEER  GODCHILD 

box.  My  Papa  is  there  also,  and  I  embrace  him 
all  the  nights,  before  I  lie  down. 

Dear  little  godfather,  I  am  very  recognizing^'* 
that  you  guard  47  sous  for  my  Christmas.  Alas, 
I  can  never  enough  say  thank  you  for  all  you  do, 
and  I  can  never  render  it  to  you  !  It,  make  me  full 
of  sorry  when  I  think  that.  With  Maman  I  essay 
to  guess  what  you  want  I  do.  I  will  make  some- 
thing with  my  proper  hands,  and  Maman  will  aid. 
You  will  love  a  pair  of  slippers  embroidered,  or 
a  shawl  (I  want  say  a  scarf)  or  a  bonnet  of  avia- 
tor?   Tell  me,  I  pray  of  you. 

I  shake  your  hand  affectuously. 

Your  godchild, 

Andree  Leblanc. 


(24)    'Rtcogniz'\Dg(reconnaissantc')  grateful. 


DEER  GODCHILD  83 

Greenville  Falls 
Nov.  18,  1917. 
Deer  godchild, 

How  are  you?    I  got  that  mister  Teddy's  let- 
ter, and  I  was  goin  to  anser  it  but  I  dident  no 
just  what  to  say,  so  I  gave  it  to  miss  Betty  and 
she   sed  she  wood   anser  it  herself.     And  you 
needent  worry   about   my   twistin  his   nose    and 
stikin  my  finger  in  his  eye,  because  if  you  hke  him 
I  will  leave  him  alone  fer  your  sake.    I  had  quite 
a  good  birthday.     Miss  Betty  found  out  when  it 
was,  and  she  gave  me  a  bully  party,  but  we  had  a 
feerce  time  gettin  sugar.    You  no  mister  Hoover 
the  new  minister  I  was  telling  you  about?    Well 
he  has  got  reel  exited  about  sugar,  and  he  has  told 
the  shopkeepers  they  must  give  only  one  pound  to 
itch  family,  and  miss  Betty  she  wanted  more  than 
that  to  make  my  cake,  because  she  sez  it  is  hard 
enuf  to  cook  with  things  but  It  Is  the  limit  to  cook 
without  them.    And  she  dident  no  what  to  do  until 
she  had  a  brite  idee.    She  sent  Molly  to  Butler's 
store  and  she  got  some  mapel  seerop  and  mixt  it 
all  up  with  the  sugar  and  a  lot  of  other  good  stuff. 
And  I  had  a  bully  cake.     It  was  kinder  soft  to 
have  candels  on  It,  but  miss  Betty  made  it  all  her- 


84  DEER  GODCHILD 

self  and  that  is  more  than  your  Teddy  did,  and  it 
was  a  bully  cake  just  the  same.  And  she  let  me 
ask  Dinky  Odell  over  to  have  some  and  we  had 
hot  chocolate  and  a  fust  rate  time.  I  am  sorry 
your  sister  dident  like  the  poitry.  Some  peeple 
dont  no  a  good  thing  when  they  see  it.  Carl  Odell 
has  writ  to  Amanda,  and  he  sez,  "I  am  writing 
this  in  the  midst  of  falling  shells  and  boms  bust- 
ing in  air,  but  if  ever  I  come  out  al-rite  little  girl 
I'll  come  back  to  you."  Carl  Odell  must  have 
been  sent  to  the  front  pretty  quick  al-rite  as  he  has 
only  been  gone  too  weaks,  and  he  sez  he  has  a 
lot  of  inside  inflammation,  but  he  Is  afraid  the 
censer  will  cut  it  out. 

And  now  I  come  to  the  bizness  part  of  this  leter. 
Fer  one  yere  now  I  have  been  your  godfather  and 
you  have  been  my  godchild,  and  we  have  hit  it  off 
pretty  well  I  think,  and  now  the  yere  is  drawing 
to  a  close,  and  next  month  it  may  be  all  will  be 
ended  between  us.  Little  girl,  what  I  have  been 
wishing  you  wood  do  fer  Christmas  is  not  a  scarf, 
or  slipper  or  ennything  but  this.  Will  you  be  my 
godchild  fer  a  nuther  yere?  I  guess  mebbe  you 
mite  do  better  fer  yourself  and  get  a  more  classy 
godfather.  I  dont  seem  to  be  much  good  at  school 
somehow,  and  I  guess  that  missis  Yanket  was  rite 


DEER  GODCHILD  85 

when  she  sed  what  she  did  about  my  speHIn  beiii 
feerce.  I  guess  mebbe  you  rite  better  than  I  do, 
and  I  no  that  mister  Teddy  dose  becaus  miss 
Betty  saw  his  letter  and  she  sed  it  was  a  fine  letter. 
Somehow  I  guess  Mr.  le  Cure  and  missis  Yanket 
and  all  your  frens  rite  and  spell  better  than  I  do. 
But  I  bet  I  can  polish  dore  handels  and  wash 
winders  and  sell  Mirrors  and  suport  you  as  well 
as  enny  Body.  Mebbe  I  am  cut  out  fer  plane 
bizness.  And  so  I  say,  if  you  think  you  like  me, 
and  wood  like  to  keep  on  having  me  fer  your  god- 
father, say  yes  and  I  will  be  much  obliged.  But 
if  you  think  you  wood  be  hapler  with  Mr.  Teddy, 
dear  godchild  why  just  say  so  and  never  mind 
about  me.    I  guess  I  can  live  it  down. 

Your  affeckshunate  godfather, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 


86  DEER  GODCHILD 

Paris,  Dec.  4,  1917. 

Dear  godfather, 

I  say  thousand  times  yes,  and  the  bon  Dieu  give 
you  benediction.  Oh  dear  godfather,  you  did 
make  the  foolish  when  you  believe  I  want  veritably 
monsieur  Teddy  to  me  adopt !  He  is  full  of  gra- 
cious goodness,  Monsieur  Teddy,  but  he  is  not  like 
unto  you.  He  did  not  the  work,  and  he  beat  himself 
not  with  Red-Skins,  to  succour  me  and  give  com- 
fort in  the  modest  interior.  Mr.  Teddy  very  sure 
will  be  one  hero  in  the  war,  but  you  are  already 
one  hero  with  heart  more  big.  And  my  dear 
Papa,  that  did  die  for  the  Patrie,  is  well  content 
to  behold  that.  We  are  loving  all  the  Amerique ; 
but  Maman  and  me  say  yesterday  there  is  not  in 
the  world  entire  a  boy  so  much  remplished  of  sen- 
timents delicate  like  my  grinning  godfather.  (I 
call  you  like  that  because  your  photography  is 
come;  you  are  more  beautiful  than  Mr.  Teddy 
and  it  rejoice  the  heart  to  look  upon  you.) 

Dear  godfather  I  will  tell  you  Mr.  Teddy  is 
departed  to  the  front.  He  come  one  day,  late, 
and  he  say  not  he  go  away  the  tomorrow;  he  only 
sit  by  the  stove,  and  take  Jean  upon  his  knees  and 
caress  the  hairs  of  gold;  and  he  smile  very  nice 


DEER  GODCHILD  87 

but  speak  not  much.  And  when  he  go,  he  tell  me, 
very  quiet,  he  have  in  his  pocket  one  beautiful 
letter  of  the  miss  Betty.  And  she  is  his  ferry  god- 
mother, and  you  are  my  ferry  godfather  and  all 
things  are  al-rite,  al-rite!  You  say  all  the  time 
that  word,  you  other  Americans,  al-rite,  al-rite. 
Maman  say  it  is  because  you  have  confidence  in 
the  bon  Dieu,  and  you  know  that  He  will  make  the 
bad  world  all  over  like  that:  Al-rite,  al-rite! 

Happy  Year!  dear  little  godfather.  Permit, 
one  time,  that  I  embrace  you  very  affectuously, 
and  shake  your  hand. 

Your  godchild  for  the  life, 

Andree  Leblanc. 


Deer  Miss  Secretary: 

After  some  consideration  I  have  decided  to 
keep  my  orfan  fer  one  more  yere.  Of  course  she 
is  still  a  girl  and  I  wanted  a  boy,  but  she  is  used 
to  me  and  I  am  used  to  her,  and  it  mite  go  hard 


88  DEER  GODCHILD 

with  her  If  I  left  her  fer  some  one  else  to  adop, 
so  if  you  will  just  put  me  down  fer  one  more  yere 
I  will  be  much  obliged  to  you. 

Yours  truly, 

James  P.  Jackson  Jr. 


THE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara 


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